Julie Bishop has been hailed as ‘Australia’s finest foreign minister’ as she resigns from her position

JULIE Bishop was praised as “Australia’s finest” foreign minister and the most significant woman in Liberal Party history yesterday after she announced she was quitting the front bench.

JULIE Bishop was praised as “Australia’s finest” foreign minister and the most significant woman in Liberal Party history yesterday after she announced she was quitting the front bench.

Ms Bishop, 62, who stood unsuccessfully as the third candidate in last week’s Liberal leadership spill, became its ­latest casualty as she stepped down as the country’s top ­diplomat.

“I will remain on the backbench as a strong voice for Western Australia,” Ms Bishop said in a statement.

Julie Bishop arriving for the Liberal Party room meeting on Friday after Malcolm Turnbull declared the Liberal Party leadership vacant. Picture: AAP

She left open the possibility of quitting Parliament altogether, saying “I have made no decision regarding the next election.”

The move came as an embarrassing leaked WhatsApp message revealed Liberal moderates had urged party members not to vote for Ms Bishop in the first round of the leadership ballot because of a “ruse” designed to help conservative challenger Peter Dutton head off the eventual winner Scott Morrison.

“Despite our hearts tugging us to Julie we need to vote with our heads for Scott in round one,” the leaked message says.

The WhatsApp message regarding the vote for Julie Bishop leaked by the ABC Insiders Twitter page.

Ms Bishop — who rated highly in opinion polls but was unpopular with colleagues, who criticised her for spending too much time posing with celebrities rather than defending the government in domestic disputes — won just 11 of 85 votes in the ballot.

The Daily Telegraph understands she failed to win the support of even one MP from her home state of Western Australia.

Ms Bishop competed in a fun run on Sunday — the day she resigned from Federal Cabinet. Picture: Instagram

An avid runner, Ms Bishop gives fans the thumbs up during the fun run in Perth on Sunday. Picture: Supplied

Ms Bishop had been the deputy leader of the Liberal Party since 2007 and in 2013 became the country’s first female foreign minister.

Announcing his Cabinet yesterday, Mr Morrison said that he would have welcomed Ms Bishop if she had wanted to stay.

Attending the second day of an international conference for reconstruction of Iraq, in Kuwait, as Foreign Minister in February. Picture: AFP

Presiding over the United Nations Security Council meeting on the global response to the ebola crisis in November 2014. Picture: Trevor Collens

Malcolm Turnbull, who was toppled in Friday’s coup, praised her as “Australia’s finest foreign minister”.

“She has been and remains an inspiring role model for women here and around the world,” he tweeted.

Cabinet minister Simon Birmingham called her “the most significant woman in the history of the Liberal Party”.

Speaking with long-term friend and colleague Malcolm Turnbull during Question Time in Parliament in October 2017. Picture: AAP