The ailing Liberal Party will shun quotas to help boost its ranks of women MPs, despite Opposition Leader Sussan Ley having opened the door to the measure, as insiders say change is necessary to increase female representation and membership.

The party’s review into its historic drubbing at the May federal election – led by Liberal elders Nick Minchin and Pru Goward – will not recommend a rigid quota system, according to four sources familiar with the draft report but not sanctioned to talk about it publicly.

It comes as Ley faced pressure from conservative rivals who have played down the prospect of a leadership coup after an escalation of backbench criticism on Friday, before a climax this week over energy policy.

The opposition has been dogged by weeks of leadership speculation, feudi

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