West Australian MP Andrew Hastie withdrew from the Liberal Party leadership contest on Friday, clearing the way for Angus Taylor to be the Right faction’s candidate in a looming challenge to Sussan Ley. The decision, reached after a covert meeting between the two men on Thursday, makes a leadership spill within the next fortnight a real possibility. Late on Friday, Liberal frontbencher Andrew Wallace praised Ms Ley as “an incredibly strong woman” who “continues to get up” despite the difficulties she’s faced since becoming Opposition Leader. In a statement, Ms Ley said the Liberal leadership group had agreed that the “finalisation of longer-term shadow ministerial arrangements is also required”. Earlier this week, Ms Ley wrote to Mr Littleproud proposing a meeting “without any preconditions and as a priority” to discuss a reforming of the Coalition ahead of Parliament’s return.