Controversial Liberal MP Craig Kelly has resigned from the party but don’t get too excited, because he’s only moving to the crossbench.
According to a source in the room during today’s party meeting, Kelly reportedly told colleagues that he’d support the government on matters of supply and confidence.
Kelly was reportedly “very kind and generous” to Scott Morrison during his resignation, asserting that he “didn’t want to be a distraction” for the party.
His move away from the Liberal party and into the realm of independents brings the government’s margin down to 76.
The news comes after Kelly was banned from Facebook for a week for violating the company’s COVID-19 misinformation policy.
Prior to the ban, Facebook deleted four of Kelly’s posts, including one that genuinely compared wearing masks (which protect you from contracting the potentially deadly coronavirus) to child abuse. I simply cannot stress just how much these things are not the same.
Following his ongoing spread of COVID misinformation, The Guardian reported a decline in support in his electorate in recent days, with only 23.9% of voters believing his decisions to be “responsible or very responsible”.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is yet to make a statement regarding Kelly’s resignation but is expected to address the situation in his 12:15pm press conference regarding the changes to the JobSeeker payment.
More to come.
