Bring back Dim Prawn

Scholars have long since speculated over the continuing relevance, and indeed the very existence, of ministerial responsibility in the role of legitimate government. Today's announcement of the loss of the records for 25M people, and the government's remarkably glib sidestepping of responsibility, probably now finally consigns the convention to history.

Yes, some scrote at HM Revenue & Customs could not be bothered to follow internal instructions over the transmission of confidential information. And, yes, Sir Paul Gray, chair of HMRC, has resigned, but who really deserves to carry the can ?

Not, in our view, the individual employee, and certainly not Sir Paul Gray, who is said to be respected by everyone except by Dawn Primarolo with whom he is reputed to have crossed swords at both the DWP and HMRC.

The answer is to be found not in determining who did what, nor how they did it, but, rather, why did they do it ? Probably, because like too many HMRC employees, he or she is demotivated, and disenfranchised, by being at the wrong end of a constant stream of policy initiatives, targets, cost cutting measures and redundancies. But who has been responsible for this bringing about this institutional malaise ?

For the Chancellor to assert HMRC is independent of government, thereby implying the government is not responsible for the current culture of HMRC, is a bold piece of political manoeuvring, but it is simply wrong. HMRC is a public body, and is accountable to the Treasury, as no doubt Treasury officials are keen to remind HMRC when it suits.

There was a time when convention would dictate that a Treasury minister would take responsibility for the failings of HMRC. And the convention would be honoured even in circumstances where no one really thought the minister was, in any meaningful way, culpable for the actions of the civil servants.

But this is not one of those occasions where a noble sacrifice is needed. No, this sorry episode is attributable to a genuine failing, and a protracted one at that, by ministers to manage one of the most important public bodies.

The convention, of old, demands that a current minister gets it in the neck even if they are new to the department. With Treasury ministers from the past 10 years having now moved on, it would be unfair to expect Alistair Darling to take one for the team; after all, even if he is failing to win our respect he does, at least, deserve some sympathy for his current predicament.

But here's a thought. Why not bring Dawn Primarolo back to the Treasury ? This will prevent her doing any more damage to the nation's health and, into the bargain, she can then be forced into a publicly humiliating resignation, retire into obscurity, and be missed by absolutely no one.

When it comes to taking the blame, would this not be a case of her taking her "fair share" ?