First there was stonewalling, then the private complaints from MPs before a very public outburst that saw an eye-watering 127 MPs tell their prime minister they were going to defy him on a welfare vote.
Now, the inevitable climbdown has arrived, with Downing Street making a significant offer to rebels last night on their planned cuts to disability benefits.
A government with a massive 165-strong working majority, had an awakening on Thursday to the importance of parliament as it embarked on a humiliating climbdown after the private warnings of MPs to Downing Street fell on deaf ears.
It's worth taking a beat to reflect on the enormity of this moment. Less than a year ago, the prime minister was walking into No 10 having won a landslide, with a Labour majority not seen since the Blair era.
That he has been forced to retreat by angry foot soldiers so early in this premiership, despite having such a big majority, is simply unprecedented.
No government has lost a vote at second reading - this basically the general principles of a bill- since 1986 (Thatcher's shops bill) and that was the only occasion a government with a working majority lost a bill at the second reading in the entire 20th century.
It is obviously a humiliating blow to the authority of the prime minister from a parliamentary party that has felt ignored by Downing Street. And while No 10 has finally moved - and quickly - to try to shut down the rebellion, the fallout is going to be felt long beyond this week.