CRITICS LEAP FOR JOYCE

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is facing mounting pressure from Nationals MPs and former leaders to step down over his extramarital affair with, and possible misuse of taxpayer funds in creating jobs for, his former ­staffer and now-pregnant partner Vikki Campion. 

The Australian ($) reports that Joyce has lost critical party-room support over the issue and that a group of MPs, including ­Andrew Broad, Keith Pitt, Luke Hartsuyker and possible alternative leaders Michael McCormack and Darren Chester, held crisis ­meetings in parliament yesterday.