I am sad to say that this was looking increasingly inevitable and so it came to be.
It seems that Adam Werritty overplayed his friendship with the Secretary of State and in doing so brought about his downfall. It has the kind of irony that is normally found in poems and plays but in this case has severely damaged the career of a very effective minister.
Despite what some of the more cynical observers may think, this is bad news for David Cameron and something he would have wished to avoid. Ensuring that we have effective armed forces in the face of the financial car crash and policy vacuum left by the last government is a huge task and will need someone who has the courage to be decisive and holds genuine affection for the forces.
Liam should have been firmer with Adam and ensured that the blurring between personal and professional didn't happen but he leaves perhaps a question mark over some of his judgements but without one over his integrity.
Smokin' Out the Swiveleyes
3 hours ago
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I think we need a haiku from you James.
I don't think you are right about there being no question marks over his integrity. It is a word that politicians often have difficulty understanding, but when money goes from businessmen linked to the arms industry and individuals linked to foreign governments, to senior politicians, ministers, and their close friends, to pay for overseas visits and coincidental meetings - these are matters of integrity.
That is why the government has now said they need to regulate the lobbying industry. You cannot have self-appointed advisers who are able to wonder in an out of government departments because they claim to be friends of the minister, or setting up meetings for ministers on the way back from a war zone.
This is more than an issue of judgement and integrity, but I suspect it will take a couple of decades for us to understand what was really going on.
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