Careless talk costs jobs

So, Alan Duncan, he of the now infamous expenses whinge, has been demoted from the Shadow Cabinet, to the post of Shadow Prisons Minister, in punishment for, well, being arsey on the subject of expenses.

But here's the odd thing. According to Iain Dale:

"One thing worth noting is that yet again David Cameron has displayed the same streak of ruthlessness we have seen before."

No he hasn't! Duncan's rant entered the public domain more than three weeks ago. If David Cameron sees this as an offence that should cost him his present Shadow Cabinet rank and title, then that was surely the case three weeks ago. And if this gaffe makes Alan Duncan a liability who needs to be removed from the Shadow Cabinet, then really, he ought not be trusted in any Shadow Ministerial post. If it was worth doing anything, the thing to do was act fast and act fully - have him out by the Sunday papers at the very latest and sent to the Backbenches to cool his heels for a period. This action just reeks of compromise, and in reality suits no one: Duncan can no longer count on Cameron to defend him - something he should now bear in mind for the remainder of Cameron's leadership - yet his detractors will be in no way appeased by this move. It's the politician's syllogism once again:

1. We must do something.

2. This is something.

3. Therefore we must do this.

Sadly, it's the wrong something: it's a half-assed thing to do and it's taken too long to do it (probably timed to slip under the radar while Brown is on the ropes about Lockerbie). This is not ruthless, this is, well, just pathetic.