Tony Abbott's early strike on Craig Thomson

TONY Abbott has ruled out relying on Craig Thomson's vote in parliament - even in a vote of no-confidence in the Gillard government.

Tony Abbott

TONY Abbott has categorically ruled out relying on Craig Thomson's vote in parliament under any circumstances - even in a vote of no-confidence in the Gillard government.

In the face of a mounting campaign to blame the Opposition Leader for placing the Labor MP-turned-independent under unbearable emotional stress, and amid stated fears about suicide, Mr Abbott rejected any reliance on Mr Thomson in parliament.

"The Coalition will not accept Craig Thomson's vote on the floor of the parliament under any circumstances," he told The Weekend Australian last night.

Mr Abbott's tactic stems from the fact Mr Thomson no longer sits with the government and is now on the crossbenches, although he has vowed to vote with Labor.

Mr Abbott's comment is designed to pre-empt Labor giving Mr Thomson leave and then demanding the Coalition withdraw one of its own MPs in a parliamentary arrangement to maintain Labor's advantage in the House of Representatives.

There is a growing expectation among MPs that Mr Thomson will be given the chance to take stress-related leave from parliament. If Mr Thomson goes on leave and Speaker Peter Slipper continues to be absent while allegations of fraud and sexual harassment against him are investigated, the minority Labor

government would fail in parliament if any independent voted against it. But since Mr Thomson always supports Labor, and Mr Abbott has refused to accept his vote, the Coalition is unlikely to withdraw one of its MPs. Mr Abbott has called for Julia Gillard to refuse to accept Mr Thomson's "tainted vote" because of the findings of Fair Work Australia that he misused $500,000 in union funds, including on electioneering, dinners and prostitutes.

"If the Prime Minister was at all concerned about parliamentary standards she, too, would refuse Craig Thomson's vote," Mr Abbott said.

Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne, who has led the campaign against Mr Thomson, said Labor should allow Mr Thomson to take leave from parliament to take care of his family and prepare for impending court appearances.

Labor ministers have accused Mr Abbott of being ready to rely on Mr Thomson's vote if there were a vote of no confidence and of being insincere in expressing concern about his wellbeing.

Anthony Albanese said yesterday Mr Abbott was "engaged in a daily act of aggression with regard to Mr Thomson" with no concern "for anything except his own bloodlust for power".

"If Tony Abbott is in a position, as he said after (Labor MP) Greg Wilton committed suicide all those years ago ... he spoke about the need to have a kinder, gentler parliament," Mr Albanese told ABC radio.

"Well, all of us are in a position to deliver that, and I think we should be judged on what we do, rather than just what we say."

Later, in a statement to AAP, Mr Thomson said that he believed Mr Abbott was insincere when he said he had "sympathy" for him. "To say he has sympathy, and then to angrily call for me to resign in the same breath, shows just how insincere Mr Abbott is," Mr Thomson said.

"Again it shows he is unfit to be a leader and unfit to be an MP."

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen told the National Press Club yesterday Mr Abbott "had his own political best interest more front of mind".

"Given the nature of the attack we have seen over recent weeks and months, expressing sympathy for Mr Thomson's personal position seems pretty insincere to me," Mr Bowen said.

Mr Albanese said the furore was taking a toll on Mr Thomson and his family.

Mr Albanese said Mr Thomson had not expressed any desire to leave parliament.

But the manager of opposition business in the house, Mr Pyne, told Radio 2GB: "If the government wanted to they could tomorrow - Craig Thomson could go on leave of absence to get his health organised and look after his family, to deal with the very significant findings that have been made against him and any impending court matters. When they are all resolved, he could come back to parliament. It's only the government keeping him there, not the Coalition."