Andrew Hastie has quit the Coalition frontbench over a dispute on immigration policy, increasing pressure on Sussan Ley’s leadership.

Hastie said on Friday night that he was resigning as the shadow home affairs minister, after weeks of posturing and his refusal to see Ley during her visit to Western Australia this week.

The conservative Liberal MP has openly discussed his ambitions to lead the party in the future, and his resignation will be seen as a possible attempt to oust Ley as opposition leader.

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Hastie blamed his resignation on a charter letter from Ley , outlining her expectations of him as a member of the opposition frontbench, and stating he would not be involved in formulation of immigration policy.

“The leader has made it clear that the sh

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