If the Morrison government loses the next election, yesterday will likely be seen as the day the rot really started to set in.

It was the day that the Prime Minister finally conceded he has lost control over the political bushfire ignited by the allegations made by Brittany Higgins and has gone on to ensnare Defence minister Linda Reynolds, engulf Attorney-General Christian Porter and, yesterday, burn Scott Morrison’s reputation for political mastery to the ground.

Contrary to the baying hounds of social media, and moralising members of the Canberra press gallery, clearly Morrison is sincere in his concern and disgust about what...