Tom Elliott brands Liberal party defector Cory Bernardi a ‘traitor’
Former Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi says he remains committed to the Liberal Party’s values.
The South Australian Senator has defected from the Liberal Party to form his own Conservative party.
But Mr Bernardi told Tom Elliott he is disappointed the Liberals had rotated its leaders after condemning Labor for doing the same thing.
‘I’m not abandoning the principles and values upon which the Liberal Party was founded,’ he said.
‘But it’s clear to me that the major parties are no longer offering what so many people want.’
Mr Bernardi said the results of the last election showed the voters no longer trusted the two major parties.
He said his policy platform centres around stronger families, fostering free enterprise, limiting government reach, and ‘restoring civil society’.
Click play to hear Cory Bernardi’s explanation
Earlier, Tom branded Mr Bernardi a ‘traitor’.
Tom said Mr Bernardi should have resigned from parliament entirely.
‘If he had the courage of his convictions, he should resign from the Senate and allow the Liberal Party to put in a replacement,’ Tom said on Tuesday.
‘He should spend the next two or three years publicising his conservative party, and then run again.’
Tom said the rules that allow Mr Bernardi to stay in parliament are outdated.
‘The people who voted for him thought they were getting a Liberal party member,’ he said.
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