Scott Morrison will ‘most likely’ quit politics by the end of the year – giving new Liberal leader Peter Dutton another by-election fight he really doesn’t need
- Scott Morrison is expected to quit politics
- Colleagues say he could resign after May budget
Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to resign from politics this year, which would leave the opposition to face another by-election for his seat of Cook.
Six Liberal party members have claimed that Mr Morrison will likely quit parliament sometime between the May budget and the end of this year.
‘He [Morrison] has told people in the [Sutherland] Shire he is going after the budget,’ one MP, who asked not to be named, told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) is expected to quit politics before the end of this year, according to a number of Liberal MPs
Another MP said Mr Morrison would be around for the budget but leave before the end of the year.
Mr Morrison’s resignation would trigger a by-election for the safe Liberal seat of Cook, which he held at last year’s federal election when he lost the prime minister race to Anthony Albanese.
He held onto the seat with 62.4 per cent of the two-party preferred vote, with a 8.2 per cent swing against him.
It would be the second safe Liberal seat Peter Dutton would have to fight for after the Liberals shockingly lost the Victorian seat of Aston to Labor last week.
The previously safe outer east suburban seat in Melbourne was vacated by former Minister Mr Alan Tudge when he retired in February.
It ended with Liberal candidate Roshena Campbell conceding defeat to Labor’s Mary Doyle.
It was the first time in over a century where a federal government has claimed a by-election win in a previously Opposition-held seat.
One MP has predicted a Cook by-election would eventuate soon and reveal how much the country’s political arena had changed.
‘If Tudge had just waited six more months on the backbench it would have been different,’ they told the publication.
‘After this budget the political landscape will be different, the Cook by-election will show us to what extent.’
Mr Morrison hasn’t ruled out leaving politics sometime this year but says he is currently focused on his seat and supporting Mr Dutton for the time being.
‘I am focused on doing my job in my local electorate, helping the parliamentary party and supporting the leader,’ he told The Sunday Age and The Sun-Herald.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Scott Morrison’s office for comment.
Mr Morrison’s resignation would trigger another by-election for Cook, which would be the second safe Liberal seat Peter Dutton (pictured) would have to fight for after the Liberals lost the Victorian seat of Aston last week
Mr Morrison says he is focused on his position as the Member for Cook and supporting the Liberal party for the time being (pictured with his family)