One of Tony Abbott's frontbenchers is urging the city-based Prime Minister to stop reacting to the "texting, latte-sipping, keyboard warriors who frequent the tapas bars of Sydney and Melbourne" and visit a country pub to get an "honest appraisal" of how the government can improve.

NSW Nationals MP Michael McCormack told Fairfax Media he did not support Mr Abbott's decision to knight Prince Philip on Australia Day, saying it had left most voters "scratching their heads".

Prime Minister Tony Abbott's Prince Phillip knighthood decision has made backbenchers "jumpy", says one MP. Credit:AAP

The parliamentary secretary to the Finance Minister said the decision went against the grain of "most ordinary everyday Australians" and had exposed the government to "ridicule".

Mr McCormack said the Prime Minister's judgment call had made backbenchers "jumpy". The backlash to the knighting of Prince Philip has been fiercest amongst the Prime Minister's most ardent supporters with conservative columnist Andrew Bolt on Thursday declaring it could be "fatal" for Mr Abbott's leadership.