Liam lingers on - for the moment

Westminster has been awash with reshuffle rumours ever since the ushers started stacking the chairs in Manchester. Among the more entertaining tidbits was speculation that Eric Pickles will replace Ken Clarke as Justice minister. Also heard at the buffet queue was a suggestion that Health secretary Andrew Lansley might possibly be headed for a spot of ‘exhaustion’ in coming weeks.

The overall view among conference watchers was that David Cameron was under no pressure and could probably wait until the Christmas break before making any changes to his cabinet team.

advisor provided MOD access

Things changed this weekend however with further disclosures over the close relationship between Liam Fox and his unpaid crony advisor and which could well accelerate any potential timetable.

Yesterday, the PM was talking unequivocally about having utmost confidence in his embarrassed, if not embattled, Defence Secretary. Today, he is ominously reported as wishing to see the evidence gathered so far in an internal probe.

Interestingly, the Independent on Sunday refers to Adam Werrity as an “arms dealer” when advising its readers that an urgent internal departmental inquiry is focusing on the role of close friend of the Defence Secretary in securing business deals for his contractor clients. Meanwhile the Telegraph helpfully explains how a series of allegations surfaced this weekend over the “unusual involvement” of his “former flatmate”, in brokering meetings as well as the access he enjoyed to government despite having no formal parliamentary or Whitehall role.

Everyone seems to have a senior Downing Street source willing to comment on how tenuous Dr Fox's ministerial position has become whilst the Mail on Sunday just wants his head stuffed on a pike outside the MOD’s Whitehall offices.

As ever, the best indications come from the bookies. Political Betting has Fox at 5/4 to be the first cabinet casualty with odds shortening following this afternoon’s statement and apology.