Jane KennedyJANE Kennedy suspected she might be heading out of government when I spoke to her over the weekend.

And so it has proved.

The last time I blogged on a good friend who resigned over the question of Gordon’s leadership, I found myself comparing P45s with him a few days later. At least I can’t be sacked again.

Jane, an environment minister until this morning, was asked to declare her personal loyalty to Gordon as the price of remaining in government. She is far too principled and honest, however, to say one thing in public and another in private just for the sake of hanging on to her ministerial car. She chose the honourable course, and my opinion of her has rocketed as a result.