Bill Shorten was reportedly trying to stop Anthony Albanese from becoming Labor’s next leader

Bill Shorten has stunned his colleagues by campaigning against Anthony Albanese for the Labor leadership. Here’s why he’s doing it.

Bill Shorten has shocked colleagues by lobbying against Anthony Albanese for the Labor leadership.

In the wake of his stunning election defeat, Mr Shorten has reportedly been campaigning to quell support for the more left-wing Grayndler MP, who is understood to have support from Labor’s NSW right faction.

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Reports today say some Labor MPs said Mr Shorten was “up to his neck in it”, with one senior MP telling The Sydney Morning Herald he had been “actively lobbying people making sure someone runs against Albo”.

“It’s weird. As a former leader you have an opportunity to be above it. You get treated with a whole respect for making that choice,” the senior MP said.

Bill Shorten has reportedly been campaigning against Anthony Albanese.

The Shadow Infrastructure Minister is now likely to be elected to top job unopposed, with news breaking that Chris Bowen is set to pull out of the contest.

Tanya Plibersek, the current deputy leader, announced she would not run for the position on Monday.

Mr Bowen declined to comment on Mr Shorten’s alleged behaviour.

“It’s probably best I say I have spoken to a range of colleagues over the last 24 hours,” Mr Bowen told the ABC this morning. “I’m not going to comment on what any individual has told me.”

On his own bid for the leadership, he earlier said: “I have had good support. There’s been people who told me they won’t vote for me, and plenty of people who tell me they will. I think it’s fair to say I would have majority support in a Labor caucus but that’s just part of the process.”

But according to reports, Mr Bowen will likely pull out of the contest before the ballot proceeds.

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen is the only other contender for Labor’s top spot.

Prior to the election, a Labor Party figure told news.com.au there’s a perception Mr Albanese and Mr Shorten “don’t trust each other”.

“Albo and Shorten aren’t overly close,” the insider said.

“They’re factional opponents who battled it out for the leadership — the party rank and file overwhelmingly wanted Albo but caucus backed Shorten.”

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There was some misgivings from Mr Albanese and his camp over the way the Labor leadership ballot went.

The pair went head-to-head for the Labor leadership in 2013 following the loss of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government after the federal election that year.

Mr Shorten, one of the key figures that brought down Mr Rudd’s prime ministership and then worked behind the scenes to reinstall him to replace Ms Gillard — ironically benefited from rule changes implemented to prevent that kind of instability.

It’s understood Mr Albanese has largely moved on from the fallout and “co-operates” with Mr Shorten on policy issues.

Another figure also told news.com.au Mr Albanese was a major part of Labor’s marginal seats campaigning.

Given his broad public appeal — “he’s got that rare thing in politics where people see him as authentic” — he is spending a considerable amount of time in key election battlegrounds announcing Labor’s infrastructure and transport commitments.

“He’s so important for the marginal seats campaign. The Libs are dumping a lot of money in marginal seats but Albo is there … he’s able to announce road, rail and airport funding in those areas across the country.”

Federal Labor frontbencher Penny Wong — another key figure in Mr Shorten’s inner circle — has backed Mr Albanese as the “best person” to become the party’s next national leader.

Senator Wong said she “genuinely believes (Albanese) is the best person to take them to government in the next election”, The Advertiser reported.

This morning she said she would be “very surprised” if Mr Shorten was trying to influence Labor MPs on how to vote.

“I would be surprised if that were occurring,” Senator Wong said.

“I’d be surprised because it’s not consistent with the role he now has and I’d be surprised because it would potentially undermine the very unity he has been part of developing and building in opposition.

“It wouldn’t be consistent with the role of a former leader or current interim leader and it would undermine the unity that Bill has been such an important part in rebuilding.”

Much-admired Labor figure Penny Wong is backing Mr Albanese for the top spot.

Frontbencher Tony Burke is also understood to be backing Mr Albanese over Mr Bowen.

It comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison appears set to have the 76 seats needed to govern in majority. He may also be in line to score an extra two.

The Australian Electoral Commission is continuing to count postal voters in the Victorian seat of Chisholm, but the Liberal candidate Gladys Liu is in line to win the seat. She now holds 50.7 per cent of the vote, ahead of Labor’s Jennifer Yang.

There are now only two close seats listed on the AEC website, but the Coalition is ahead in both.

The Coalition stands to get up to 78 seats, with Labor on 67 and six crossbenchers.

Originally published as Bill Shorten was reportedly trying to stop Anthony Albanese from becoming Labor’s next leader