The knifing begins

What a day. As we were waiting for the weekend for the night of the long knives, it appears to have started earlier with ministers doing a contortionists job of plunging the knives into their backs. If there was ever a sign of a Government in terminal decline, today was a significant portent.

In one day, we've had one cabinet minister, two other minsters, one ex-cabinet minister and a disgraced MP stand down from their jobs. It looks like two will attempt to fight for their seats, although in Jacqui Smith's case it's a facile attempt. She will be gone.

This is looking worse than the Major Government. I've never known anything like it, the Government is looking at death by a million cuts, Labour MPs are lemmings on the edge.

It's also looking like there will be a vote in the Commons next week on dissolution, which of course the Government will win. But can anybody remember a party with a 66 seat majority having to face such a vote? It shows how febrile the mood is.

Be gone with you.

Squiffy.