Feels like the pile on is unsustainable. Ford may be compelled to act. The question Phillips has to ask is whether this situation is a) survivable b) worth surviving if it so savagely brutalizes his standing. This is THE defining moment of his political career #onpoli

Hard as it might be, I'd advise him to resign first. Get to a mic and say, "The kind of mistake I made is not the kind of mistake that's fixed with an apology. I need to suffer a consequence. I get that and I have asked the premier to remove me from cabinet." #onpoli

But here's the rub. That approach only works if you mean it. People will see through it if it's just a strategy - if it's just a considered retreat. So, the big question is: Does he actually feel like he's made a mistake? Is he regretful? Because if not, this will fail #onpoli

If, on the other hand, he does feel genuinely contrite, then contrition will be visible. And that is probably, at this point, the only practical path toward long-term survival and rehabilitation. Fighting this will almost certainly fail and, at best, define him forever #onpoli

You always hate to consider relinquishing your position. After all, it may never come return. But this situation is bad enough that resignation may be the only way to secure even the potential of a respectable comeback. So...if he's as smart as I think he is, he'll quit #onpoli