Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott is in advanced discussions to write a book that makes the case for conservatism within the Liberal Party, according to reports.

Fairfax Media reported on Wednesday night that the publisher of Mr Abbott’s first book, Battlelines, was in talks with the former PM to produce a follow up.

Melbourne University Press chief executive Louise Adler told Fairfax Media Mr Abbott would “be making the case for conservatives, [and] that the Liberal Party should be a centre-right party”.

“After Donald Trump’s ascendancy this becomes an interesting question for conservatives and for Labor too.

“I expect Tony to make the case for the Liberal Party to return to its conservative roots,” she said.

“I’m hopeful we will have a book out next year, we don’t have a working title yet … Tony thinks long and hard about what being a conservative is in modern Australia. There should be a battle of ideas in politics and he is engaged in that.”

Mr Abbott was more coy on the discussions with his publisher.

“I don’t want to write another book unless I have got something worthwhile to say. At the moment I’m pondering just what that might be,” he told Fairfax Media.

“Someone suggested that having written Battlelines, now I should write Battlescars,” he joked.

Since he was dumped as PM in September 2015, Mr Abbott has written numerous articles and short essays both advocating for conservatism in politics and defending the Abbott government’s legacy.

But the plans for a second book have prompted some pun-heavy title suggestions from Labor MP Tim Hammond.

Warringah and Peace, The Far Right Stuff and Tone Quixote are among the proposals

Mr Hammond told reporters: ”My personal favourite: The Audacity of Nope“.

He also suggested The Onion, The Life of Blue Tie, For Whom the Bell NewsPolls and, finally, A Knight’s Tale.

– with AAP