The NSW Liberal Party has expelled an official who took court action to stop Scott Morrison imposing candidates in key seats, as two female Liberal MPs defended the Prime Minister, saying his intervention spared them from being rolled by “malicious factional players”.

The expulsion of Matthew Camenzuli, who is now pursuing his case in the High Court, followed statements by MPs Melissa McIntosh and Environment Minister Sussan Ley, who rebuffed claims by others in the party that Mr Morrison was a bully and said they owed their preselections to him.