David Elliott cleared to run for preselection in Castle Hill after Tony Abbott’s letter to the party

David Elliott has been cleared to run for preselection in Castle Hill after a blistering letter of support from a former prime minister took aim at the Liberal Party’s “factional stitch-ups”.

Senior minister David Elliott has been cleared to run for preselection in Castle Hill after a blistering letter of support from former prime minister Tony Abbott took aim at the Liberal Party’s “factional stitch-ups”.

A ballot of the party’s state executive voted 19 votes to six to give Mr Elliott an exemption to run for preselection after his party membership lapsed for three weeks.

Mr Elliott on Tuesday ruled out running in Kellyville against his factional ally Ray Williams.

Mr Elliott is expected to face a challenge for preselection from right-faction member Noel McCoy. Liberal sources expect the vote will be tight. The right faction believes it has the numbers to unseat Mr Elliott.

However senior Liberal sources believe Mr Elliott will ultimately be successful in his preselection bid.

Mr Elliott on Tuesday ruled out running for preselection in Kellyville, a move which would force him into a preselection battle against factional ally MP Ray Williams.

“I categorically rule out running in a preselection against my friend Ray Williams, I don’t want to be remembered as the man who knifed a mate,” Mr Elliott said.

Transport Minister David Elliott speaking after talks with the rail union over a working conditions dispute earlier this year. Picture: Richard Dobson

Castle Hill MP Ray Williams. Picture by Damian Shaw

The Liberal Party was lobbied ahead of the vote by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who also blasted political in-fighting in the NSW branch in a letter of support for Mr Elliott.

Mr Abbott’s letter stated “I deeply regret the factional stitch-ups that have become characteristic of our state party”.

The former Prime Minister’s letter, seen by The Daily Telegraph, showered praise on the Transport Minister, with Mr Abbott writing “David has both convictions and courage”.

“David is not one of those sneaky politicians who talks behind others’ back. If he has an issue, he tells you.

“If he wants to say something, he says it honestly, on the record.”

Mr Abbott acknowledged “he’s blunt and combative, sometimes against critics within our own party...But there’s a lot to be said for being a warrior rather than a conspirator!”

He added “regardless of the result next March” the Liberal Party needed “experience and ideas; either to shape the government’s fourth term or to give our party purpose and spine in opposition”.

Mr Elliott’s current seat of Baulkham Hills has been abolished in the lead up to the state election, with the bulk of the territory split between Castle Hill and the newly-created Kellyville.

Mr Elliott has told media the lapse was the result of his card being suspended after it was defrauded, resulting in him missing a membership payment to the party he has been a part of for 36 years.

Under Liberal Party rules, members must have joined the party for at least two years to be able to run for preselection.

The party’s powerful state executive voted this morning to allow Mr Elliott to run anyway.

Leaders of the Liberal party’s hard right faction believe they have the numbers to install their own candidate Noel McCoy, in a move which could potentially end Mr Elliott’s 11-year-parliamentary career.

Mr Elliott – who has previously held the police portfolio and currently holds the transport Minister role – was given an additional job as Minister Western Sydney by Premier Dominic Perrottet in August, after his predecessor Stuart Ayres stepped down over the John Barilaro-trade commissioner furore.