Liberals blast Peter Dutton for ‘selfish and arrogant’ attack on Malcolm Turnbull

Liberal MPs slam Peter Dutton for unleashing on Malcolm Turnbull and attacking Julia Banks for being “bitter”.

In an interview yesterday, Mr Dutton said Mr Turnbull was a worse prime minister than even Kevin Rudd and didn’t have a “political bone in his body”.

Liberal MPs from across the ­factions have slammed a “selfish” and “arrogant” Peter Dutton for unleashing on former leader Malcolm Turnbull and reigniting a conversation about the party’s perceived problem with women by attacking Julia Banks for being “bitter”.

Some of his allies have defended him, however, but cautioned now was the time to “draw a line under the issue”.

In an interview with News Corp Sunday newspapers yesterday, Mr Dutton said Mr Turnbull was a worse prime minister than even Kevin Rudd and didn’t have a “political bone in his body”.

One moderate Liberal MP told The Australian the barb was “a bit rich coming from the bloke who can’t count”.

“I think there is a bit of history being rewritten there, if I am being polite,” the MP said.

Another MP from the Right of the party said Mr Dutton’s assessment of Mr Turnbull was essentially correct but the member for Dickson was “f..king dumb” for publicly blasting Ms Banks, who resigned from the party to sit as an independent because of what she said was a bullying problem.

“She has made allegations about being bullied, but has never detailed a single case,’’ Mr Dutton told The Sunday Mail.

“My colleagues have been tarnished by accusations of bullying and intimidation and the claims are false.

“It just didn’t happen and it has been used by Julia as an excuse to leave the party because she was upset about Malcolm losing the leadership and her not being promoted to the ministry under Scott (Morrison).”

A conservative MP told The Australian Ms Banks had made no secret of her unhappiness about being skipped for a promotion.

“Banks clearly only spat the dummy after missing out on a promotion under Scott,” the MP said. “She has referenced Sarah Henderson being promoted ahead of her on a couple of occasions. The idea that Banks was ever in consideration for promotion is laughable, having said that.”

The MP also said: “Now that Dutts has said his piece following attack after attack from Turnbull over the past few months, it’s best if we put a line under it and move on as best as possible.”

Mr Turnbull did not respond to the Dutton comments yesterday, choosing to tweet about “the Titanic of the skies” and disasters putting an end to the era of the rigid-frame luxury airships, but his son Alex weighed in.

“Because what LiberalAus needs most right now is more leadership wars, amirite,” he tweeted yesterday morning.

Former prime minister Mr Rudd, used as a low benchmark for bad PMs by Mr Dutton, also hit back but ignored the personal criticism and accused the News Corp tabloids of trying to rehabilitate the member for Dickson.

Labor’s Amanda Rishworth said the comments were either sanctioned by Mr Morrison or Mr Dutton was “freelancing” in signs of more leadership instability.