Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has labeled Labor leader Bill Shorten ‘the real villain’ in the marriage equality debate.

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As his successors government grapples with the marriage equality crisis, the former PM has penned an opinion piece for The Australian accusing the opposition leader of being at fault.

“The real villain in the same-sex marriage imbroglio is Bill Shorten. He is the one who’s playing politics with this issue and stopping it from being resolved in this term of parliament via the plebiscite that people want.” Abbott wrote.

Ahead of the Liberal party’s emergency meeting, Abbott says that while current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has never liked the plebiscite policy he will stick by it, because he understands the importance of not breaking an election promise.

“Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull never liked the plebiscite policy but fully grasps the importance of keeping commitments and, to his credit, is now resolute that nothing can change without a plebiscite first.” Abbott said.

The former PM suggests that instead of gay MPs Trent Zimmerman, Dean Smith, Trevor Evans and Tim Wilson arguing for a free vote in parliament, they should instead be highlighting to the gay community that marriage equality has not happened because of Labor blocking the government’s plebiscite plan.

“That’s why the determination of a handful of Liberal MPs to substitute a free vote in the parliament for the promised plebiscite is so fraught. Instead of pointing out to the gay community that it’s Shorten who’s blocking the possibility of change, they want the government to break its solemn pledge to ask the people before changing the law.”

Abbott says that while coalition MPs were no longer bound to vocally oppose marriage equality after the party’s marathon meeting in 2015 where the plebiscite policy was developed, they are only allowed to support marriage equality via a plebiscite.

“Like it or not, Coalition MPs are honour-bound to oppose same-sex marriage in the absence of a plebiscite that’s supported it; and we’re equally bound to oppose any move to bring the matter into the parliament without a plebiscite first.”

Abbott says if the outcome of tomorrow’s party room meeting is a longer delay, people who support marriage equality should blame Labor and The Greens, not the coalition.

OIP Staff