Why the Liberal Party dumped controversial NSW candidate Ben Britton

Days after being dumped by the Liberals, Ben Britton has lashed out at his former party claiming he’s the victim of a political “witch hunt”.

Senior Liberals feared dumped Whitlam candidate Ben Britton would be disendorsed due to his propensity for going “off-script” months before the campaign kicked off, new documents have revealed.

It’s also been uncovered Mr Britton, in a Telegram group chat, once referred to Liberal colleague Senator Andrew Bragg as a “piece of globalist shit” while praising Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But Mr Britton lashed out at his former party, claiming he’s the victim of a political “witch hunt”.

Now running as an independent for the seat of Whitlam, Mr Britton told 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Tuesday he believes his removal is part of a larger issue within the Liberal Party.

“At the end of the day, what’s occurring within the NSW division right now is a systematic plot from the left,” he said.

“The left faction works in tandem… with members of the right faction who are traitors — to stab Peter Dutton in the back and ensure he doesn’t get elected as the Prime Minister.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton pictured with dumped Liberal candidate for Whitlam, Benjamin Britton. Picture: Liberal Party

The Coalition confirmed it had disendorsed Mr Britton as the Liberal candidate of Whitlam – a long-time Labor-held seat on the NSW south coast – on Sunday.

The move came after it was revealed Mr Britton, in comments made on a podcast before his preselection, said he believed women should not serve in combat roles in the military.

He also blamed “diversity and equity quotas, Marxist ideology and woke ideologies” for weakening Australia’s defence

The spotlight on the ADF veteran turned cyber security consultant has served to exacerbate the Coalition’s struggles with women voters, who were angered by the now-dumped work from home policy.

The Liberals had concerns about Mr Britton for months, according to February 4 meeting minutes from the Whitlam branch of the Nationals.

In the minutes, obtained by this publication, it was noted senior Liberals were “worried about their candidate”.

This was in part because he had “the potential to say something off script and get disendorsed”.

It can also be revealed a Telegram profile linked to Mr Britton, in a group chat, referred to Senator Bragg as a “piece of globalist shit” during an August 2024 discussion.

“Putin was called out as a traitor by the new world order. Bragg is only praised by them. Easy to see who is and is not under the influence of foreign powers,” he wrote.

“Either way, Bragg is a piece of globalist shit.”

The messages, since deleted but seen by this publication, were sent from Mr Britton’s mobile phone number.

The voicemail message attached to that number noted “Ben Britton” was unable to come to the phone.

The Telegram user also went under the name Ben, and in 2022 on the platform spruiked himself as “Ben Britton the Candidate for Cunningham for the United Australia Party” – in line with Mr Britton’s political history.

Mr Britton did not respond to requests for comment.

The NSW Liberals on Sunday confirmed Mr Britton had been disendorsed “over views expressed which were not previously disclosed and are inconsistent with the party’s position”.

Mr Britton in December, on a fringe podcast, said women shouldn’t serve in military combat roles.

“Their hips are being destroyed because they can’t cope with the carrying of the heavy loads and the heavy impacts that’s required for doing combat-related jobs,” he said.

“Why would you want to send your beautiful women? Your females, the ones that are the backbone of your society. Your society only exists because of women. Why would you want to sacrifice them in war, on the altar?”

Originally published as Why the Liberal Party dumped controversial NSW candidate Ben Britton