A correspondent below has raised the question as to why, if Swire as a commom-or-garden back bench MP would be ineffective, should an Independent MP not be just as ineffective.

Good question.

It is Swire himself who told us that he was MORE effective on our behalf as a Minister as, though he maintained that he could not speak for us in Parliament, as a Minister he said had direct access to other Ministers instead. The mover and shaker could easily have quiet words with other movers and shakers.

And now he has one major difference compared to an independent MP – having to follow the Whip of someone in his party who sacked him and whose leadership, it appears from his tweet, does not inspire him. HE sees it as relegation (albeit with his mates).

Not the case for Independents – free to speak, free to act, as they say.

He could, of course, become an Independent and free himself from his shackles!