Can the second coming of Tony Abbott resurrect the Liberal party? Or is it another step towards ‘self-destruction’

Immediately after ousting Sussan Ley, Angus Taylor used his first press conference as opposition leader to debut a slogan he hoped would define a new era of Liberal conservatism. “The door must be shut,” Taylor said of his approach to prospective migrants who didn’t subscribe to Australia’s “core beliefs”. “The door must be shut,” he repeated. The theme, the tone, the repetition, the rhythm: the echoes of another Liberal opposition leader rang loud and clear. “It sounded exactly like Tony Abbott ,” remarked one Liberal MP, wryly observing the only difference being that Abbott preferred his slogans to be three words, not five. Angus Taylor at his first press conference as opposition leader. Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images ‘Another step on the road to self-destruction’ Australia’s 28th prime minister – the most powerful conservative in an increasingly conservative party – has long exerted influence over Taylor, rightwing MPs and Liberal rank-and-file members. But Abbott’s prominence and power are set to rise to a new level after he was elected unopposed as Liberal party president on Friday afternoon, marking a return to active political life seven years after losing his seat in federal parliament. The presidency is an unpaid, typically low-profile position overseeing the party’s administrative and campaigning wing , operating at arm’s length from the parliamentary team. …