Tom Elliott has been told by a “senior” member of the Liberal Party a planned leadership challenge in Victoria is “half-arsed, immature and stupid”.

The 3AW Drive host says he’s done some “ringing around” after it was reported Brad Battin would challenge Michael O’Brien for the Victorian leadership this week.

“They are worried about the absolute drubbing the Liberal and National Party got at the hands of Labor in Western Australian state election on Saturday,” Tom Elliott said.

“They are panicking.

“A senior Liberal MP described the challenge as ‘half-arsed’ and said it was immature and stupid and that more mature forces within the party are trying to stop the challenge before it goes ahead.

“It will undermine Michael O’Brien, there is no doubt about that.

“If the challenge goes ahead and is unsuccessful, people will say there is ‘disunity in the party’ and if it doesn’t go ahead there will still be a whispering campaign and obviously if it goes ahead and he loses, then that is the end of him.”

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