PRIME Minister Tony Abbott would lead the Liberal Party to a historic defeat that would deliver a primary vote of just 36 per cent and terminate the careers of more than 40 Coalition MPs if an election was held today.

In a poll that will send shock waves through the Coalition party room, support for the Abbott government has plunged to 57-43 on a two party preferred basis, according to a new Galaxy poll.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Julie Bishop has offered a personal assurance to the Prime Minister in private talks she was not undermining him or campaigning for his job.

However, she was not asked to provide nor did she offer a personal guarantee that she would never challenge in the future.

“We are willing the Prime Minister to succeed,’’ a Liberal MP said.

“But if he can’t succeed, all bets are off.’’

It comes as former Howard Government minister Mal Brough yesterday refused to deny he had been asked by Queensland MPs to challenge for the leadership as a circuit breaker.

Liberal MPs say Ms Bishop and Malcolm Turnbull have assured the Prime Minister they are willing him to succeed as nervous backbenchers warn he has until the end of the year to prove he can take the party to the next election.

Support for Mr Abbott has plunged to just 27 per cent when voters are asked to nominate their preferred prime minister. Support for Bill Shorten has increased to 44 per cent.

Mr Abbott, however, warned that voters were sick of the chaos of the Rudd-Gillard years.

“The public elected a government, the public elected a prime minister. I will spend myself in the service of the Australian people,’’ he said.

media_camera The alarming poll results.

But he confirmed he was preparing to delay his paid parental leave scheme. It was due to start in July, 2015.

Confirming Mr Abbott’s personal support has also undergone a savage hit after his disastrous decision to award Prince Philip a knighthood, Mr Shorten has also opened up a 17-point lead on preferred prime minister.

Voters’ outrage over Mr Abbott’s knighthood folly is underlined by a Galaxy finding 70 per cent of Australians disapprove of the decision.

Just 14 per cent of Australians support his “captain’s call’’ which horrified his own cabinet and backbenchers.

Australians remain divided over the question of becoming a republic with 39 per cent in favour and 40 per cent of Australians opposed.

In 1998, the republic referendum was defeated with a 54.8 per cent national “no” vote. In July 2014, Mr Shorten held a 6 per cent lead over the Prime Minister on the question of preferred PM. In just over six months, this had blown out to 17 per cent.

On the knighthood decision, which Mr Abbott conceded many Australians would regard as a “stuff up’’, the majority of Labor voters — 83 per cent — disapprove of the decision. Even Coalition supporters are appalled by the decision with just one in four — 26 per cent — backing the PM. If the result was replicated at an election, it will represent the lowest primary vote for the Liberal Party in 70 years.

“Support for Labor has ­increased in the latest poll to 43 per cent. This is the best result for Labor in any Galaxy Poll since the Abbott government was elected,’’ Galaxy’s David Briggs said.

“Support for the minor parties is little changed since the last Galaxy Poll with the Greens on 11 per cent the Palmer United Party on three per cent.”