Five rebel MPs say they are giving their colleagues ‘the chance to do the right thing’

In the latest escalation of the Liberal Party’s bitter internal war, MPs will hold a special party room meeting on Moira Deeming’s future that could end with John Pesutto’s leadership being challenged.

John Pesutto will face a hostile party room showdown that could end with his leadership being challenged, as a group of rebel MPs – including one shadow minister – call for ousted Liberal Moira Deeming to be let back into the party.

In the latest escalation of the Liberal Party’s bitter internal war, MPs will on Friday meet to decide on whether Mrs Deeming should be allowed to return to the parliamentary ranks after the Federal Court last week determined that she was defamed by Mr Pesutto.

Mr Pesutto – who has resisted calls to resign over the scandal – conceded last week that he didn’t want Mrs Deeming to return to the party.

Late last year, Mrs Deeming launched legal action against Mr Pesutto accusing him of defaming her as a Nazi sympathiser.

John Pesutto addressing the media last week after the findings of the defamation case. Picture: David Crosling

Moira Deeming could be allowed to return to the parliamentary ranks. Picture: David Crosling

She had earlier been expelled from the parliamentary Liberal party.

Last week, Justice David O’Callaghan declared Mr Pesutto defamed Mrs Deeming and ordered he pay her $300,000 in damages.

Now, all 30 Liberal MPs will be called back for a special pre-Christmas party room to have their say on whether Mrs Deeming, who is currently sitting as an independent MP on the crossbench, should return.

Some internal figures suggest the meeting could be used as an opportunity to roll Mr Pesutto as leader.

Several names have been thrown around as potential leadership challengers to Mr Pesutto, including Sam Groth, Brad Battin and James Newbury.

Sources said that if the motion is successful - and Mrs Deeming is returned to the party - that Mr Pesutto’s leadership could be in serious trouble.

But there is a view that Mr Pesutto could be vindicated if the party room rejects the push to welcome Mrs Deeming back.

On Monday night, a group of rebel MPs teamed up to get the five signatures required under Liberal Party rules to force a special party room meeting.

Mrs Deeming declined to comment on Monday night.

Shadow Minister Richard Riordan and MPs Bill Tilley, Renee Heath, Joe McCracken and Chris Crewther co-signed the letter calling for a meeting to let the exiled MP return.

Some internal figures suggest the meeting could be used as an opportunity to roll Mr Pesutto as leader.

The meeting could be used as an opportunity to roll Mr Pesutto as leader. Picture: David Crosling

Five Liberal MPs co-signed a letter calling for a meeting to let exiled MP Moira Deeming return. Picture: Ian Currie

In an explosive joint statement on Monday, the five MPs said they were giving their colleagues “the chance to do the right thing”.

“It is a simple matter of fairness,” they wrote.

“As Justice O’Callaghan’s judgment makes clear, the justification put to the party room for Moira Deeming MP’s expulsion was fundamentally flawed.

“Liberal Party members, and indeed all Victorians, expect their elected Liberal Members to act with integrity, and to do right by our colleagues as we would by the State.

“As a team we look forward to closing this sorry chapter for good and moving on rapidly with decency and integrity.”

Shadow Minister Sam Groth on Friday spectacularly resigned from the front bench, saying he could no longer serve under Mr Pesutto.

His resignation sparked immediate internal warring, with some MPs revealing they believed a spill was imminent.