Conservatives and moderates are at loggerheads over a potential federal takeover of the NSW Liberal Party after last week’s council nominations debacle, with former prime minister Tony Abbott declaring the branch had been a “factional plaything for too long”.

As Mr Abbott backed the need to clean up the branch, moderates warned a federal intervention would result in a “quagmire” and was unwarranted because the party was meeting milestones such as picking candidates.