Opposition leader Sussan Ley may fast-track the announcement of a permanent, all-Liberal frontbench, signaling a deeper rift in the Coalition as hopes of reconciling with the Nationals fade. Ley had given the Nationals, led by David Littleproud, until next Monday to rejoin the team before she moved ahead with a shadow ministry made up only of Liberals. However, negotiations hit a standstill. The Nationals are demanding that three senators who voted against the party line on Labor’s hate speech laws be reinstated immediately. Ley, meanwhile, insists they must first serve six-month suspensions.

Senior Liberals are now preparing to speed up a round of promotions. This plan would elevate six MPs to the shadow cabinet (the senior leadership group) and two others to the outer shadow ministry. Moving quickly is seen as a strategic win for Ley. It would help her build internal loyalty at a time when Angus Taylor is reportedly considering a challenge for the leadership position.

Guardian Australia spoke with six Liberal MPs who believe there is little chance the two parties will resolve their issues before Ley’s original February 9 deadline. Instead, many now expect a challenge for the party leadership to take place sometime in March.