Email joke sums up how the Liberals feel about Barnaby Joyce being sent to the backbench

IT WAS the email from a Liberal MP that described Tony Abbott as the “weird kid no one likes”. And it was very quickly recalled.

THE office of a Liberal MP inadvertently emailed out a joke about Barnaby Joyce joining the backbench that described Tony Abbott as the “weird kid no one likes”.

The email showed an old photo of Mr Joyce sitting and chatting with the former prime minister in the House of Representatives.

“When you get in trouble in class and you get sat next to the weird kid no-one likes,” said the email, said to have originated from the office of Liberal MP and the government’s chief whip, Nola Marino.

It heralded Mr Joyce’s move to the backbench and his new seat roughly arms length from that of Mr Abbott. The email was recalled almost immediately after being posted.

But too late. It represented the fear among Liberals and some Nationals that Mr Joyce’s resignation as National Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister has ensured two potential troublemakers will now be on the Government’s backbench, looking down the raked seating at a Prime Minister neither completely supports.

Michael McCormack was today elected as the Leader of The Nationals, replacing Barnaby Joyce, and will become Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. Picture: Michael Masters / Getty Images

Mr Abbott has been active in questioning policies of Malcolm Turnbull’s administration. The question now being weighed by Liberals is whether Mr Joyce will run his own destabilising campaign.

He will behave himself, according to Nationals Senator John Williams, who clearly associated himself with Mr Joyce this morning by walking slightly behind him and party Deputy Leader Bridget McKenzie to today’s party room meeting.

Mr Turnbull and new Nationals leader Michael McCormack will hope he’s right.

But it is difficult for some Coalition MPs to envisage a quiet and demure Barnaby merely tending to the affairs of New England as he writes his promised book.

Mr Joyce doesn’t have the determination to defend a legacy which is one motive for Mr Abbott’s high-profile questioning of Government policy.

And he has a better chance of returning to his old position should he prevail against sexual harassment complaints launched by a West Australian woman, and survive any examination of how taxpayer money was used in matters related to him and new partner, and former adviser, Vikki Campion.

It might seem unlikely, and in one exaggerated ranking today would be the biggest fightback since Napoleon jumped on a boat leaving Elba.

But Joyce backers speculate that after those victories and the birth of his child by Ms Campion, Barnaby could be back.

Mr Joyce’s partner Vicki Campion, pictured in Canberra, is due to give birth to their baby boy in April. Picture: John Grainger

Barnaby Joyce during a press conference in Armidale, NSW, on Friday, February 23 when he announced his resignation as Deputy Prime Minister. Picture: Marlon Dalton / AAP

That prospect could deter him from speaking out in a way which could damage the Coalition government’s chances of re-election. He certainly doesn’t want to be Deputy Opposition Leader.

New leader Michael McCormack today was taken aback, understandably, when asked whether he was merely warming the seat for Mr Joyce’s return to it. The ex-leader, understandably, went through a big eye-roll.

The apprehension has been fed by the public actions of some Joyce supporters.

Queensland MP George Christensen made this clear when he stood in the leadership ballot, knowing he would not win but wanting to make a point aimed at the Liberals, the senior Coalition partner.

Further, another big Barnaby fan, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, who just days ago said: “Barnaby Joyce has been the best Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister in living memory”, also considered standing but last night decided against it.

The actions by these two are indications of unrest which Mr McCormack will have to deal with.

Then there is Mr Joyce himself.

Nationals Darren Chester, who was dropped from Cabinet by Mr Joyce in December, joined the hopes the ex-leader would put the interests of the Nationals’ constituency first, above personal ambition.

“He’s not the type of character who is going to cause mischief,” he told Sky News.

That’s what some said about “the weird kid”.

Barnaby Joyce and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott will now be sat within arms length of each other on the government’s backbench. Picture Gary Ramage