Senior Liberals fear they will lose Turnbull’s former seat of Wentworth

SENIOR Liberal MPs fear the party will lose Malcolm Turnbull’s blue ribbon seat of Wentworth — and the Coalition’s majority — at this Saturday’s by-election.

SENIOR Liberal MPs fear the party will lose Malcolm Turnbull’s blue ribbon seat of Wentworth at this Saturday’s by-election.

It would be devastating result for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, with the government losing its majority in parliament and facing the threat of being defeated on key votes in the House of Representatives.

Cabinet ministers are now seriously talking down the prospect of retaining the seat, with independent candidate Kerryn Phelps tipped to beat Liberal Dave Sharma.

KERRYN PHELPS TO STAND AS INDEPENDENT IN WENTWORTH

ISSUES THAT WILL SHAPE WENTWORTH BY-ELECTION

BOLT: POLL PANIC MAKING LIBS LOOK WEAK

Leaked internal polling has revealed Dr Phelps is set for a massive victory over Mr Sharma, leading 55 per cent to 45 per cent on a two-party-preferred basis.

Senior Liberal MPs were on Wednesday despairing at the possibility of the government losing its majority.

Some questioned whether it would force the government to dump Speaker Tony Smith and install an independent to give it an extra vote on the floor of parliament.

Liberal MPs fear they will lose Wentworth to independent Kerryn Phelps.

There was growing frustration in some quarters within the party at Mr Turnbull for not doing more to express his support for Mr Sharma.

The former prime minister, who has been holidaying in New York since the leadership spill in August, endorsed Mr Sharma during the preselection but has not been active during the campaign.

But Turnbull loyalists questioned why the former prime minister should have to contribute, saying he was entitled to his break overseas with wife Lucy.

The campaign turned nasty on Wednesday night, with the ABC reporting a fake e-mail had circulated in Wentworth saying Ms Phelps had HIV and was withdrawing from the race.

Ms Phelps said the claim was false and was disgusted by the “dirty tricks”.

Malcolm Turnbull has been in New York for the entire Wentworth byelection campaign.

The loss of the seat would be a major setback for the new PM, with Mr Turnbull holding Wentworth with a two-party majority of almost 18 per cent.

Mr Morrison this week denied his move to consider relocating the Australian embassy in Israel to Jerusalem was related to the Wentworth byelection.

He told the Coalition party room this week it would be tough to win.

The Jewish vote in Wentworth is believed to account for around 13 per cent of the primary vote.

Dr Phelps has denounced the government’s controversial decision to review the location of the embassy, saying it was made “without a proper analysis of the defence, trade and security implications”.

Mr Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, said Mr Morrison’s announcement had nothing to do with Saturday’s by-election.

[e-mail]

@Gallo_Ways