One of the things that characterised the Blair administration, and for that matter, the Major Government before it, was the sight of Ministers seeking to cling on to office by their fingertips, no matter what. There was always enough blame for so many others that no culpability was left for themselves.

Irrespective of the problems with his handling of the Northern Rock bailout, losing the personal details of half the country should not just cost the Civil Servant in charge of the the HMRC his job.