Nationals who defied shadow cabinet would sit on backbench for six months under Coalition peace deal

Major sticking point in negotiations is the status of the three former frontbenchers who voted against Labor’s hate speech laws

The three National senators who defied the shadow cabinet to oppose Labor’s hate speech laws would be forced to sit on the backbench for six months under Sussan Ley’s offer to the Nationals to reunite the Coalition.

Ley briefed Liberal MPs on the terms of a potential peace deal with the Nationals following talks with David Littleproud on Monday night.