THE scandal surrounding Dr Liam Fox, the disgraced former Defence Secretary has doubtless been watched closely by a particularly select group of people up and down the land, as well as by the political establishment and the media. In what was an inexplicably monumental lack of judgement or unbounded arrogance (or something of both), the minister repeatedly ignored the advice of senior civil servants and waved away concerns from his own officials over links with his friend and self styled adviser, Adam Werrity.

Members of the public will form their own view on the seriousness of the more technical breaches of the ministerial code of conduct.

However, most observers will be surely appalled at the revelation that he put the security of his staff at risk by sharing details of his overseas trips as Defence Secretary with his friend.

There’s every possibility that one of those put at risk was his parliamentary private secretary, Bournemouth East MP, Tobias Ellwood.

But it’s the families of those who have been killed or injured in Afghanistan who have most reason to be upset that while their sons put their lives at risk on a daily basis, the political head of the armed forces was playing fast and loose with the rules.

There is speculation that it will be as long time before Dr Fox returns to ‘frontline’ politics. Never would be too soon.