NSW Nationals MP Leslie Williams has decided to resign from the party and join the Liberal Party.

The Port Macquarie MP says the events of recent weeks have cemented her decision.

Ms Williams opposed  Nationals leader John Barilaro’s threat to move the Nationals to the crossbench over a koala policy.

The Deputy Premier was forced to back down after a crisis meeting with Premier Gladys Berejiklian last Friday.

https://twitter.com/NSWPolAlerts/status/1307569301562376192

In a statement released on Sunday, Ms Williams described Mr Barilaro’s actions as holding the Premier and the government to ransom, adding that doing so was “unnecessary, unhelpful and frankly politically reckless and unreasonable”.

“The events of the past week have represented a further example of a course of conduct and dealing that has once again effectively been condoned and failed to be addressed,” Ms Williams said.

“My community deserves to be represented in Parliament by members and leaders that are focused on their needs and their aspirations and they rightly expect to have policy overshadowing politics.”

–ABC