**Australia’s opposition Liberal Party has elected a new leader, amid a searing row over the government’s carbon trading laws.**Tony Abbott was chosen to replace Malcolm Turnbull at a Canberra meeting.
Mr Turnbull had backed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s emissions trading scheme, but Mr Abbott has vowed to oppose it.
The government needs the support of the Liberals to pass the legislation in the Senate. The Liberal revolt throws Mr Rudd’s plans into turmoil.
Mr Abbott won the final vote against Mr Turnbull by 42 votes to 41. A third challenger, Joe Hockey, was eliminated in first-round voting.
Mr Rudd had wanted the legislation to pass the Senate - where his party does not have a majority - by the start of the Copenhagen climate change summit next week.
If the Senate fails to pass the scheme, Mr Rudd could call a snap election, correspondents say.