I started to draft an editorial about the National Party situation last night, and I thought I had finished it, polished it up this morning. 

But now I understand how that Banksy painting felt being pushed through the shredder. It’s not just a week that’s a long time in politics - the last twelve hours have been. 

But as the saying goes, if you are going to go down, go down in flames. 

Jami-Lee Ross has thrown not just himself and Simon Bridges under the bus, but he has trashed his entire National Party family as well. 

In addition to describing Simon Bridges as ‘corrupt, dishonest and unfit to be leader of the National Party, he also called for businesses and donors not to make further donations to the National Party while Bridges is the leader. 

In addition to that, he stated ‘many people shared my views within the caucus’, or words to that effect. 

In doing so he has basically undermined the integrity of his entire caucus - claiming, in my view, that none of them would have the guts to stand up to Simon Bridges, or that they would be too cowardly to stand up to him. 

Effectively, he’s saying they would betray their own principles all for the sake of collective solidarity. 

Where to from here? 

Lots of accusations and a heck of a lot of detail that’s going to be trawled through and debated over the next days, weeks, months. 

Days, weeks, months. We’ve got a by-election coming up. 

The choice now for the caucus is stark, and simple, and straightforward. 

Because at this point the moment we have to go on evidence. All we’ve got is Jami-Lee Ross effectively throwing a grenade into the room and watching everything play out. 

They’ve got to get behind Simon Bridges and show a strong, unified caucus, because that’s all they can do. They can’t respond to any of this because otherwise it gives power to someone who seems, arguably, disgruntled and self-destructive. 

The words that came to mind when watching Jami-Lee Ross was megalomaniacal. This idea that only he can save the party, that everyone else will sacrifice their principles, but only he has the answers, and I’m not convinced by that at all. 

This will perhaps be the worst day of Simon Bridges leadership, but ultimately it could prove to be the best day.

Perhaps this gives him the opportunity, if he can survive this – well, if he can survive this, he will be rock solid, he’s going to be unassailable, but that’s a huge but. 

But if he can survive this, it has provided him with a gold plated opportunity to transform his leadership. 

Up until now, he’s never seemed that comfortable with the mantle of leadership. So maybe it’s an opportunity for the real Simon Bridges to stand up. 

That’s the choice that awaits him, and it’s a pretty simple one.