Tony Abbott continues to take friendly fire over the Prince Philip knighthood, with conservative commentator Andrew Bolt declaring the decision "pathetically stupid" and potentially fatal for the Prime Minister's leadership.
Bolt's blistering intervention follows a plea by media baron Rupert Murdoch for Mr Abbott to sack his top aide Peta Credlin, who has been criticised internally for being too controlling.
Speaking on Sydney radio station 2GB on Wednesday night, Bolt said the decision to honour Prince Philip on Australia Day was "friendless" and one that made Mr Abbott's own allies look stupid if they tried to defend it.
"This is just such a pathetically stupid ... gosh, I didn't mean to be that strong because I actually like Tony Abbott very much. But this is just such a very, very, very stupid decision, so damaging that it could be fatal," Bolt said.
"I thought it was verging on fatal already but this is too much.
"This is a friendless decision, where his friends would feel stupid defending it.
"I defy anyone to put to me a case that says Prince Philip should be made a knight of Australia above all the other choices that would [have been] in front of Tony Abbott when he went to sit down behind his desk. It is just inconceivable."
Bolt said the irrational nature of the decision means voters would now feel they have "no idea what Tony Abbott might do next".
"For a lot of voters, that is, and indeed should be, rather scary."
Bolt joins a string of conservative commentators who have criticised Mr Abbott's decision this week.
MPs have told Fairfax Media calls are being made in which backbenchers are questioning Mr Abbott's judgment and his capacity to lead.
But with no alternative leadership candidate at this stage prepared to mount a challenge, this does not appear to have morphed into anything more immediately serious for Mr Abbott's leadership.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told the ABC on Thursday that Mr Abbott's leadership was safe.
"The Prime Minister enjoys the strong support of his party room, he enjoys my very strong and unequivocal support," he said.
"He's the best person to lead the Liberal Party, to lead our country. He's a very strong leader."
