Tuesday 24 May 2022 11:49 PM Josh Frydenberg refused to challenge Scott Morrison ahead of election after ... trends now

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Ousted Treasurer Josh Frydenberg could have challenged Scott Morrison for control of the Liberal Party months before the government's embarrassing capitulation at the federal election.

Moderates within the party approached the 50-year-old in September when the two were living together at The Lodge.

Senator Andrew Bragg, along with a handful of others, held secret backroom meetings amid disastrous internal polling before eventually pleading with Mr Frydenberg to launch a leadership coup.

The man many had tipped to take over as leader immediately shut down any plans for a spill.

Plotters feared his time bunked-up with the PM during Covid lockdown blinded him to the reality that Mr Morrison was becoming toxic among voters.