The Turnbull government is "on life support" and the Liberal Party is "bleeding" voters but Tony Abbott is not angling to reclaim the prime ministership, his most loyal confidante claims.

Peta Credlin says her former boss has a right to speak out on party policy despite the damaging war of words that erupted after his latest intervention, with senior ministers lining up to condemn a speech in which he attacked the government as "Labor lite" and drifting to defeat.

Ms Credlin, who was Mr Abbott's chief of staff in government, says it's a mistake to assume he wants to return to the top job.

"I do not believe that Tony Abbott wants the job again. I think he would have a hard time reconciling around that Cabinet table with people like Christopher Pyne and Julie Bishop and others," she told Sky News.