If Malcolm Turnbull’s mainstream and social media defenders have their way, the parliamentary Liberal party’s mayhem last week will be framed very simply. For them the ‘insurgency’ blamed by Turnbull for his demise is all Tony Abbott’s fault.

According to this narrative, eagerly jumped upon by professional Abbott-haters like John Hewson, Amanda Vanstone and even Kevin Rudd (who knows a thing or two about insurgencies), Abbott is the ‘wrecker’, the ‘terrorist’, the ‘suicide bomber’ prepared to blow up his party and any chance it had of winning the next election if it meant destroying Turnbull’s leadership.