Michael McCormack hints at Nationals leadership spill over Barnaby’s PM texts

Michael McCormack would “seriously consider” running for the Nationals leadership if asked, after texts from Barnaby Joyce about the PM were leaked.

Former Nationals leader Michael McCormack has revealed he would “seriously consider” another run for the top job if Barnaby Joyce resigns.

After spending the weekend stoking the leaked text message mess by suggesting the Australian Cricket coach Justin Langer “wasn’t the person who should have resigned” Mr McCormack has doubled down on breakfast television.

He warned that Barnaby Joyce “has some explaining to do” over the text mess and he was open for another leadership tilt.

“I’ll weigh that up at the time. If enough members of the party came to me and asked me to lead the party, I would seriously consider that. I’ve taken them to an election. I’ve retained every seat,” he said.

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Justin Langer’s was not the resignation that should have taken place today. He has been a mighty contributor for Australian cricket and should be proud of all he has helped the team accomplish. The nation salutes you JL – a good innings, well played!

— Michael McCormack (@M_McCormackMP) February 5, 2022

Nationals MP Michael McCormack has said he would “seriously consider” challenging Barnaby Joyce for the leadership if asked. PIC: Matt Beaver

“It’s very, very unfortunate, the fact that we’re talking about ourselves when we should be talking about Australians. We should be focused on the recovery from Covid.”

Leaked texts sent from Mr Joyce while the now-Deputy PM was working as a backbencher described Scott Morrison as “a hypocrite and a liar” who could “rearrange the truth to a lie”.

The Nationals leader “unreservedly apologised” to the Prime Minister just hours before the story broke on Friday.

News.com.au has obtained a copy of the full text exchange and confirmed the blunt character assessment was sent to a third party to “pass on” to Brittany Higgins in March, 2021.

The messages were sent when Mr Joyce was still a backbencher and before he returned to the leadership.

“He is a hypocrite and a liar from my observations and that is over a long time. I have never trusted him and I dislike how he earnestly rearranges the truth to a lie,” Mr Joyce wrote.

“I and Scott, he is Scott until I recognise his office, don’t get along.”

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce sent texts slamming Scott Morrison’s character while he was still working as a backbencher (pictured)

Mr Morrison said Mr Joyce had offered an apology and he had accepted it.

“He sincerely apologised and I immediately accepted his apology in good faith. I understand Barnaby was in a different headspace last year, both professionally and personally, and so I know he genuinely no longer feels this way,” Mr Morrison said.

“Relationships change over time. Politicians are human beings too. We all have our frailties and none of us are perfect.

“Since coming to the role of Deputy Prime Minister, it is fair to say that we both positively surprised each other. We were never close before this and never pretended to be.

“But in these roles we have really found our rhythm, as we have concluded AUKUS, settled our climate change policy and continued to fight the pandemic.”