Senior Liberals rubbish Barnaby Joyce’s claim of talks over deal with One Nation as ‘figment of his imagination’

Joyce would not say which Liberals he had spoken to, while Angus Taylor denied any conversations had taken place

Senior Liberals have rubbished claims by Barnaby Joyce that he has discussed One Nation offering the Coalition a pathway to minority government after the next election, accusing him of buyers remorse after defecting from the Nationals.

Joyce, who defected to join Pauline Hanson’s party in December, claimed on Tuesday night he had held talks with senior Liberals about a potential deal for supply and confidence to oust Anthony Albanese from power.