Liberal MP slams leadership contender Angus TaylorBy political reporter Jake EvansTopic:Liberal Party of Australia13m ago13 minutes agoSun 4 May 2025 at 10:07pmHolly Hughes says a "huge number" of her collegues share her views about Angus Taylor. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)In short:A Liberal senator says Angus Taylor should not be the party's next leader and that he wears blame for a devastating election night loss.Outgoing Liberal MP Warren Entsch has also rejected Mr Taylor.What's next?The party will wait for seats to be finalised before holding a leadership ballot within the party room.abc.net.au/news/angus-taylor-criticised-not-liberal-leader-blame-loss/105252158Link copiedShareShare articleOne of the contenders to be Liberal leader, Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor, has been blasted by Liberal senator Hollie Hughes, who claims his lack of policy work was to blame for the party's election rout."I have concerns about his capability. I feel we have zero economic policy to sell," Senator Hughes said on Radio National."I don't know what he's been doing for three years. There was no tax policy, there was no economic narrative."Senator Hughes said a "huge number" of her Liberal colleagues shared that concern.Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor is considered a possible next leader for the Liberal party. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)The shadow treasurer is on the shortlist of Liberal MPs being considered a likely next Liberal leader, alongside deputy Sussan Ley Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan and Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie.None of them have yet nominated for the leadership, with some close seats yet to be finalised.But Senator Hughes said Mr Taylor should not be putting his hand up, and deserved some blame for the opposition's poor campaign."The biggest issue — and I am hearing this from everyone I am speaking to — [was] the complete lack of policy and economic narrative was incredibly difficult for everyone out on the ground. People just had nothing to sell," Senator Hughes said."Whoever was running that [expenditure review committees] process, nothing seemed to come out of it."Senator Hughes, who held assistant ministries in NDIS and mental health before she was dumped by the party last year, said she had pitched policy ideas to the ERC but heard nothing back.She is due to leave parliament but will still have a vote for the next Liberal leader.Speaking on ABC Radio National, the senator said she would not be voting for Mr Taylor if he nominated, after suggesting he had a role in her losing pre-selection for the Senate."There's a reason I won't be voting for someone in the leadership ballot should they put their name forward," she said."Whilst [he has made] efforts to get rid of people like me in his leadership ambitions, I am still in the party room until June 30 and get to vote for the next leader. So it may not have worked out too well from him, that plan."Warren Entsch, who retired from the party at this election, also rejected Mr Taylor."We need to be very careful when we select our next leader. I'm going to get popular for this but [it should be] the two people in there who have had the length of experience there in leadership."That would be Sussan Ley of course and, what's his name? Dan Tehan."Liberal senator Dave Sharma would not air his views on who should be next leader, but said whoever it is must understand that the Coalition will never again govern unless it can regain relevance in the cities.He added that his National colleagues in the regions must understand that the party needs to have broad appeal to different people."Whoever puts themselves forward as leader would be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the reasons why we lost, and quite a comprehensive diagnosis of that," Senator Sharma said.Posted 13m ago13 minutes agoSun 4 May 2025 at 10:07pmShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top Stories'Laughable policies': Voters explain what went wrong for CoalitionTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A young coupleThe message to the Coalition is clear: This is not John Howard's AustraliaPAnalysis by Patricia KarvelasPhoto shows Anthony Albanese holds up his hands to calm the crowd.How the Liberals lost the cities and Labor found a new heartlandTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows Anthony Albanese walks through a crowd. 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