19:05

Earlier I said there was no modern precedent for a minister being sacked as a result of a leak inquiry. (See 5.59pm.)

In 1986 Leon Brittan did resign after approving the leak of a letter from the solicitor general attacking Michael Heseltine over Westland.

But it is not an exact parallel. Number 10 did not need to conduct a genuine leak inquiry on that occasion because they knew full well who was responsible; Downing Street itself had ordered the leak. Margaret Thatcher feared that the subsequent Commons debate would bring her down but she survived, partly because it was felt Neil Kinnock did not quite nail the case for the prosecution.

That’s all from me for tonight.

My colleague Catherine Avery is taking over now.