Well, clearly she has to go. It's what's known, if you're poor, as a benefit fiddle.

But what I've never been able to work out is what Caroline Spelman adds to the Shadow Cabinet. Whenever I've seen her, in the flesh or on TV, she seems utterly vacuous. Not especially articulate, devoid of anything interesting to say and generally second rate. Indeed, most of the time she seems to be mouthing social democrat platitudes, but then that's clearly seen as a positive in the Conservative Party at the moment.

She certainly shouldn't be there just as a token woman, because there are many more talented female Tory MPs not in the Shadow Cabinet.

It seems to me that the only downside for Mr Cameron in sacking her forthwith would be the simple - and important - fact of having to sack his party chairman, and what that says about his judgement. But I'd bid her good bye and good riddance.