Jack Straw is another senior minister who appears to be safe in his job, a series of minor gaffes notwithstanding.

His period in offices has witnessed Melita Norwood unveiled as a great-grandmother super spy, the mistaken release of witnesses names by the Lawrence inquiry and an emergency announcement that key sections of the Prevention of Terrorism Act had inadvertently been allowed to lapse.

This has led his shadow, Ann Widdecombe to dub him "Calamity Jack" but the fact he stays in his job shows he retains the full support of the prime minister.