'We had a shot and we lost': Barnaby Joyce opens up on failed leadership spill

Barnaby Joyce says he has no intentions to destabilise the Coalition government after losing a challenge for the leadership of the Nationals Party last week.

Speaking to 2GB's Ben Fordham, the former deputy leader of the Nationals party said it was a natural function of democracy that leadership spills occur.

"We had a shot and we lost. When you lose, you lose and you move on," Mr Joyce said.

"I need the McCormack Morrison government to prevail. There's no intention whatsoever to destabilise the government."

Queensland MP Llew O'Brien quit the Nationals following the challenge, sparking new rumours a new party could be born.

Mr Joyce said he had no plan to join a new party and considered Mr O'Brien "a good mate".

"I'm not going to bullshit people. This is a democracy Ben and a lot of people died to keep this nation a democracy," Mr Joyce told 2GB.

"I don't want another party. That would be chaotic. I want to keep Liew in the tent."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison today dismissed the idea that a faction was forming to bring down Mr McCormack.

"He has the full support of his colleagues, he has my full support as the prime minister, and we've got a lot of work to do," Mr Morrison said.

"We've got dams to build, we've got roads to build, we've got an economy to continue to build in rural and regional Australia."

Nationals president Larry Anthony also pleaded with party rebels to stop destabilising Mr McCormack.

"It's not sustainable and people have seen this movie before," he said.

"This is not something we do in the National Party ... our base and Australians expect better of our members.

"The National Party always performs best when we hunt as a pack and are united."

With AAP