The Nationals have staged a “one out, all out” mass resignation from the frontbench over the hate speech vote, leaving the Coalition teetering on the brink of its second breakup in eight months.

The Nationals held an emergency meeting on Wednesday night and quit en masse in solidarity with the frontbench resignations earlier in the day of three Nationals senators  — Bridget McKenzie, Ross Cadell and Susan McDonald.

But in a sensational twist late on Wednesday, Coalition leader Sussan Ley rejected the 11 resignations as “unnecessary” and urged a rethink.

“No permanent changes will be made to the shadow ministry at this time, giving the National Party time to reconsider these offers of resignation,” she said.

Ley said she had “strongly urged” Nationals leader David Littleproud not to walk away from the partnership.

“I note that in David’s letter, he has not indicated that the Nationals are leaving the Coalition,” she said.

The extraordinary spat between the two Coalition partners was triggered by a disagreement over the government’s anti-hate laws, in response to the Bondi Beach terror attack.

On Sunday, the Coalition’s shadow cabinet agreed to back the bill. But two days later the Nationals announced they would oppose it because of concerns about its potential impact on free speech.

The three Nationals frontbenchers who voted against the legislation resigned from their portfolios for breaching cabinet solidarity, a principle that requires shadow ministers to all vote the same way.

Littleproud wrote to Ley warning that all remaining shadow ministers from his party — including himself — would quit if she accepted the trio’s resignations.

“As it was a party room decision, if these resignations are accepted, the entire National party ministry will resign to take collective responsibility,” he wrote.

At an emergency meeting on Wednesday night, the remaining eight Nationals frontbenchers decided to quit their portfolios in protest.

Littleproud argued the hate crimes legislation was rushed, creating “unique circumstances” that justified the split between the two Coalition parties.

“These were unique circumstances created by the arrogance and incompetence of the Albanese government’s process. The Nationals believe strongly that the Liberal and National Coalition partnership is the best way to remove this Labor government,” he told Ley.

If the Coalition does split — a prospect being canvassed by MPs — it would be the second break-up since the May 2025 federal election.

“How can we stay in the Coalition and have no jobs?” one senior National said.

The previous week-long split came after the Nationals made a number of policy demands of the Coalition, including a commitment to nuclear power.

Nationals sources have indicated they are not optimistic about the future of the political partnership.

Littleproud is due to front the media on Thursday morning.

-with AAP