With Labor under acute pressure from One Nation’s surge in opinion polls, backlash over a series of major economic policies and unhappiness at the direction of the country, the relationship between the prime minister and treasurer is showing signs of strain.

Conditions have looked a little scrappy for weeks now, but things got worse on Tuesday when Albanese, either deliberately or inadvertently, undercut his treasurer.

Interest rates hit a 15-year high last month, property values are going backwards and economic growth is lacklustre at best. Labor MPs are speaking up internally about the pain facing households, with some worried about the policy and the message not working.

To make matters worse, what should have been a small political spot fire, the backlash against the tax office’s move to ban credit card payments for tax debts, has turned into a major irritant for Labor.

After days of criticism that the plan would hurt small........

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