From a career as a Home Office minister charged with steering through the Lords the hugely controversial UK-US extradition treaty, which has broken all the most important safeguards for British citizens (though not for American), it might be thought that Baroness Scotland with her legal experience limited to just one section of the law and with no experience of political elective office whatsoever, was just about the last person in a wide field of candidates to be appointed to the job of Attorney-General with its vast range of legal and political responsibilities.

On the Immigration law offence itself, the Prime Minister and the lady herself have both tried to finesse this by referring to it as a “technical” failure to copy her cleaner’s documents when the merest enquiry would have shown that she was not entitled to be in the country, having over-stayed a student visa three years ago and having been told twice by the Immigration authorities to leave the country.

Driving without valid insurance could also be excused as “technical” on the grounds that the offending driver had “forgotten” to check the expiry date of his previous insurance policy, but that would not wash in the courts and could involve serious consequences for other people as in the Baroness Scotland case. But still in the Prime Minister’s view this is not a resigning issue though it was for a junior minister, to his great credit.

All organisations without exception are defined by the conduct of those who occupy its most senior positions. As  is said “the fish rots from the head down”. Hopefully this particular fish, with all its croneyism and preferments conferred on its favourites, will soon be gone.

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