Australia
Related: About this forumTony Abbott tells UK Tories he believes he can be PM again
Birmingham: Tony Abbott has told right-wing allies in Britain that he believes he has a reasonable chance of becoming prime minister again, Fairfax Media has learned.
The revelation confirms the former leader is hoping to emulate Kevin Rudd's 2013 success in returning to the Lodge after being booted out by his own party, and despite Mr Abbott's public assurances that his leadership is "dead, buried and cremated" and the "Abbott era is over".
A senior Liberal source close to Mr Abbott said the former prime minister maintained a "good chance" of returning to the job because he is popular with the party membership compared to Malcolm Turnbull.
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/dare-to-dream-tony-abbott-tells-uk-tories-he-believes-he-can-be-pm-again-20161004-grutrv.html
He's just confirmed what we've all suspected he does think he can do a Lazarus.
Certainly, Turnbull is highly unpopular the Right don't trust him because they suspect he's really progressive at heart, and the Left don't trust him because they also think he's progressive at heart but is pandering to the right-wing of his party.
Both men are on the nose with the electorate in part because people detest their hardline policies, and in Malcolm's case because he's perceived to be a sellout, and in Abbott's case because he's a RWNJ. The problem with the Liberals is that it's their policies that are hated by voters, no matter who is leading. That Abbott is a nutjob and Turnbull a phony just adds to the image problem they have.
Abbott, always a delusional character, is forgetting one big thing about Kevin Rudd: when he was toppled by the right-wing of the ALP, he remained highly popular with the electorate. Hence, a big problem always with people accepting Julia Gillard; she was seen as untrustworthy by many because of the way she came to power. But Abbott has never really been liked except by fellow right-wingers, and in carrying out the hardline policies of the right-wing of his own party, he simply cemented his image in the eyes of voters.
Oh, Malcolm hope you're wearing armour under your very expensive shirts, because now we know he's coming to get you.
CBHagman
(17,134 posts)...but I wonder if there's some sort of global madness taking hold.
Matilda
(6,384 posts)You'd have to have enormous self-belief to think you're the best person to run a country, but today's lot carry it to the point of total self-delusion.
Abbott's trying to deny it now, but Latika Bourke is very close with the Libs, and she's standing by every word she wrote.