Warnings Barnaby Joyce could be unpopular with women voters if he returned to ...

Barnaby Joyce could be unpopular with female voters and party members if he returned to office, a Nationals MP has warned.  

Speculation is mounting Mr Joyce will challenge Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack at a party room meeting on Monday before parliament rises for the winter break. 

Mr Joyce stepped down as Nationals leader and deputy prime minister in February  2018 when details of his relationship with former press secretary to ex-Treasurer Peter Costello, Vikki Campion, made national headlines. 

Nationals MP Michelle Landry on Monday said female voters and women from within the party wouldn't accept Mr Joyce returning to Cabinet and the office of Mr McCormack.   

'I think that if he became leader again there would be women out there that would be unhappy with that,' Ms Landry told news.com.au. 

'It's destabilising for everybody. Look, obviously there was a lot of feedback last time. I think he would have to tread carefully if he became leader again because there were women that weren't happy.

'There were women out there who made accusations, none of that was ever proven but I do know there's women who would not be happy.' 

Nationals senator Matt Canavan cast doubt over whether Mr Joyce would be successful in his bid to return.

'I think the Nationals are suffering an identity crisis because Michael has failed to map out a clear alternate vision,' he told The Australian.

'Barnaby is someone who has done that in the past and could in the future. (But) I don't think the numbers are there for him.' 

A Liberal MP said it would be 'disastrous' for the Prime Minister's climate change plans if Mr Joyce were to become the Nationals leader again.

'Barnaby doesn't care about getting us to a position on the

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