It is hard to believe that Malcolm is the leader of any political party of significance. The latest instalment of the Jamie Briggs saga in The Oz defies belief. This is from the latest episode.

As the fallout from Mr Briggs’s resignation continues to rattle the Coalition, The Australian can also reveal that Right-aligned MPs in South Australia will today discuss potential replacement candidates for the blue-ribbon seat of Mayo held by Mr Briggs on a 12.5 per cent margin. The move comes amid heightened speculation that Mr Briggs, 38, may not want to recontest the next election and as Liberal strategists fear losing the seat, which is threatened by Nick Xenophon’s decision to run lower house candidates in South Australia.

Supporters of Mr Briggs say he is considering his future in par­liament and “waiting for the dust to settle”, but feels aggrieved by the process put in place by Mr Turnbull.

The Australian understands that on December 10, after the formal complaint had been lodged by the consular staffer about Mr Briggs’s “inappropriate” behaviour at the Stormies Bar on Nov­ember 27, Mr Turnbull phoned the then cities minister to discuss the complaint against him and his decision to launch an independent investigation.

In the phone conversation, it is understood Mr Turnbull suggested to Mr Briggs that while the investigation would run its course, it was likely that he would need to consider resigning his frontbench role. . . .

While some MPs say this is evidence that the investigation was a “stitch up”, others suggest Mr Turnbull made the assessment that there was little room for leniency because Mr Briggs had failed to apologise to the consular staffer before she complained formally. . . .

There was also an assessment that it would have been more damaging for the government if Mr Turnbull had not acted decisively against Mr Briggs for the breach of ministerial standards, which may have later come to light. . . .

Another senior federal Liberal MP said the Right faction needed to prepare a contingency plan. “One of the things that genuinely has to be discussed is the likelihood of the state executive reopening preselections in Mayo, because I don’t think Briggs will hold the seat.”

How could the fallout have been any worse than it now is? A seat with a 12.5% margin is now at risk. For me, whatever the PM may say, this is political stupidity of the highest order which has destabilised his own side.