One Nation leader Pauline Hanson wants Barnaby Joyce to join her party, and believes they are a better fit than the Nationals he once led, after Joyce declared he will break from the Coalition and complained of being relegated to the “far corners” of the backbench.

This masthead broke the news on Friday that Joyce was in advanced talks with Hanson about a switch. Hanson launched a new local branch in Tamworth – in Joyce’s NSW seat of New England – on Saturday night, and said she would welcome Joyce “with open arms”.

“He’s more aligned with One Nation than what he is with the National party,” Hanson told Nine News.

“He’s been shut down by the National party. They put him on the back bench, out of the way: ‘Just sit there, shut up, Barnaby.’ I’ll encourage him … [to] come across to One

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