Brutal but inevitable?

So, Cameron has decided to withdraw the whip from Derek Conway indefinitely, though not necessarily permanently. As I said earlier today, that had to be the right decision in that it both demonstrates the requisite firmness over matters of personal impropriety and it shoots the Labour fox over Conway - as well as setting a possibly uncomfortable precendet for the various Labour members assailed over sleaze. By doing it today, at once, Cameron has also set up a contrast with Brown's 'dithering' over Peter Hain.

The really good news here has been Conway's reaction. Mr Conway told the BBC: "I think the withdrawal of the whip was understandable, if not inevitable and I have no quarrel with that." Highly commendable, though I doubt whether that, or anything, will be enough to save his seat for the next election.