Julie Bishop opens up on her failed leadership bid and how she would have beaten Labor

Julie Bishop has opened up about her failed attempt to become prime minister and pointed the finger at one person for destroying it.

Julie Bishop has opened up about her challenge for the leadership last year and blamed outgoing minister Christopher Pyne for her failure in an explosive interview with WA’s The Sunday Times.

Ms Bishop, who will quit politics at the federal election, said the government would be in a winning position if her colleagues had chosen her to replace Malcolm Turnbull.

The former foreign minister and deputy leader of the Liberal Party said she had started phoning her fellow MPs on the afternoon of August 23, the day before the vote.

“I had commitments from a number of people,” Ms Bishop said.

“When I say commitments, a number of people said, ‘Thank you for calling us. Yes, we will support you.’

“I couldn’t understand why those who thought that they would support me decided not to.”

Former Liberal deputy leader Julie Bishop. Picture: AAP

Ms Bishop said she believed she had the support of at least 28 colleagues before the meeting. Instead, she got just 11 votes, which saw her knocked out in the first round of voting. Scott Morrison eventually defeated Peter Dutton 45 votes to 40.

So what happened? According to Ms Bishop, Mr Pyne intervened.

“I am now told that there was a view, led by Christopher Pyne and others, that even though I would have 28 votes — which was many more than Scott Morrison — it wouldn’t be enough to beat Peter Dutton,” she said.

“So, they wanted to make sure that happened.”

According to the Pyne Bishop didn’t have enough votes to topple Peter Dutton.

Several days after the vote, a leaked WhatsApp thread showing messages between a group of moderate Liberal MPs revealed the tactics that had scuttled Ms Bishop’s bid.

RELATED: Leaked WhatsApp thread reveals Bishop betrayal

The MPs were told Peter Dutton’s supporters wanted Ms Bishop to knock Mr Morrison out in the first round, because they believed Mr Dutton would beat her one-on-one.

“Cormann rumoured to be putting some WA votes behind Julie Bishop in round one,” Paul Fletcher wrote.

“Be aware this is a ruse trying to get her ahead of Mr Morrison so he drops out and his votes go to Dutton.

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

Mr Pyne told the group he had already told Ms Bishop - “very respectfully” - of the plan to support Mr Morrison instead.

She was still blindsided.

Ms Bishop now says her colleagues were asking themselves who would beat Mr Dutton when the better question was who could beat Labor.

“If I had known that was what their thinking was, I could have dissuaded them of it but also I would have pointed out that the question was: Who could beat Bill Shorten?” she told The Sunday Times.

“And I was confident that I could. And that was Labor’s thought too.”

Julie Bishop announcing her resignation. Picture: Kym Smith

Ms Bishop said none of her colleagues had told her they didn’t think she could beat Mr Shorten.

“I felt confident (of winning the leadership) after the assurances I had received over the phone,” she said.

“There were 11 votes. Take out Malcolm and me - there were nine. For all the commentators to say ‘she could only get nine votes’ - there were actually 28 who were going to back me, but they were persuaded to back Scott Morrison.

“I knew the level of support Peter Dutton had. I knew the level of support I had. I knew the level of support Scott Morrison had. Otherwise I wouldn’t have put up my hand.”

The former foreign minister admitted her candidacy was “a long shot” because she had started canvassing her colleagues much later than Mr Morrison and Mr Dutton.

“Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton had been in the field for quite some time shoring up votes,” she said.

But Ms Bishop said she felt a “responsibility” to put her name forward, having been the Liberals’ deputy leader for 11 years.

“I also felt for all the women in Australia who had seen me as deputy for so long. I thought I’d be letting them down if I didn’t put my hand up.”

Former Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. Picture: AAP

She denied she was bitter towards her colleagues for not voting for her, even though some WA MPs had since contacted her and apologised.

“There is nothing to forgive. They had a choice and they exercised their choice,” Ms Bishop said..

“It doesn’t matter now. The moment is gone.”

But she was highly critical of one WA colleague - the Liberals’ leader in the Senate, Mathias Cormann, who played a critical role in ousting Mr Turnbull.

“I don’t understand his motives in seeking to change the leadership to Peter Dutton last year,” she said.

“He backed Peter Dutton, who had very little support in WA and who fought against WA getting a better GST deal.”

Mr Shorten was asked on Today this morning about Ms Bishop’s comments that she could have beaten him in an election.

“Well, when she sprung her surprise resignation on the parliament I got up and acknowledged she was a formidable person and I think she still has a contribution to make post her political career,” he said.

When pressed on whether Ms Bishop could provide him with a tougher challenge at the election, Mr Shorten commented on how the Liberal Party has treated its female MPs.

“We will never know. Even though she was the loyal deputy for four Liberal leaders, it says a lot about the way the Liberal Party treats its women MPs, that she was deputy for four leaders,” he said.

“This is the challenge for the Liberal Party. They have a women problem.”

Bishop felt confident she could have beaten the Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

Ms Bishop said she was leaving politics on “a high note” and looking forward to the next chapter of her life.

“I always aimed to be foreign minister and I achieved that,” she said.

“I’m in a very good place. After 20 years in any role, it’s a challenge to leave, but I’m excited by the future. I’ve had a number of very attractive offers for a post-political life. But I am not going to consider any until I cease being a member of parliament.”