Angry Liberals warn of ‘red wedding’ over abortion support

The abortion bill may have passed the Lower House, but it has left a trail of carnage within the NSW Liberal Party as angry MPs seek answers from Gladys Berejiklian over her “sneaky” support.

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Premier Gladys Berejiklian is set to face a hostile ­reception at an upcoming NSW Liberal gathering with angry party members to demand their leader to explain her “sneaky” support for an abortion bill put up by a“hairy-arsed independent”.

Instead of celebrating a historic State election win, the first gathering of members at the upcoming Liberal Party State Council meeting is set become a showdown with conservative MPs describing the anger at the grassroots as “white hot”.

One senior conservative Liberal MP said members were just as upset at being blindsided by the abortion bill as they were at Ms Berejiklian and Health Minister Brad Hazzard’s apparent collusion with independent MP Alex Greenwich and Labor.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will be facing angry MPs at the next NSW Liberal gathering. Picture: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

MPs feel as though they have been blindsided by Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Ms Berejiklian’s collusion with an independent MP. Picture: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

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The Sydney-based MP, who likened the upcoming September 7 meeting to a bloody scene from Game Of Thrones, speculated the support offered to Mr Greenwich was linked to panicked party members doing a deal in ­anticipating what may have been a hung parliament.

Both the premier and Prime Minister Scott Morrison are expected to attend.

“This council meeting should be about our victory, but it’s going to be a Red Wedding,” the source said. “Everybody was blindsided.

“Something stinks. It’s clear that this (the abortion bill) has been worked on for months. Members are understandably angry as there was no mandate. MPs are being inundated with emails and you can bet there will be questions asked at council.”

Independent MP Alex Greenwich. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

Another conservative MP said the party should have owned the bill rather than supporting a “left-leaning, hairy-arsed independent.”

Another conservative MP boldly predicted that “careers would end. This is Gladys’ greyhounds moment”.

One Liberal Party branch official said talks were underway to stage a protest during the council meeting, with some members suggesting a chant of “baby killer” when the premier rises to speak.

“We have been told this might be going too far, but members have had enough,” the official said.

“There is going to be a revolt and I would honestly not be surprised if the meeting ended up in a punch-up.”

The fate of the abortion bill, which passed through the Lower House last week, is now in the hands of Upper House MPs. An Upper House inquiry into the bill will be held next week.

Originally published as Angry Liberals warn of ‘red wedding’ over abortion support