Ruth Kelly - You are the Weakest Link. Goodbye!

Some things are just so obvious, and yet, and yet, people still go ahead and do them. Take the example of the sex offender who was given a job at the Hewitt School in Norwich. What on earth was the Head Teacher thinking of? And, come to that matter, what was the Education Secretary thinking of when she approved it? I'm sure that's a question that Charles Clarke (a former Education Secretary himself) will be asking her. After all, not only did he used to have her job but the school is in his constituency of Norwich South. It really isn't rocket science to suggest that all sex offenders should be placed on the 99 List, the national list of people disbarred from working with children. It almost beggared belief that the Schools Minister Jacqui Smith said on 5 Live this afternoon - and I quote - "this shows the system is broadly working". What???! What planet does this woman live on? And yet she is tipped to join my little chipmunk Hazel Blears in Tony Blair's next reshuffle, touted to be held tomorrow. One thing I think we should all be hoping is that the Department for Education and Skills is rescued from the hands of Ruth Kelly, who seems to be completely out of her depth.

UPDATE 23.45: I now understand this case was first referred to the Department of Education in 2003. And who was Secretary of State for Education in 2003? Er, one C. Clarke. I suspect we're going to hear a lot more about who actually made this decision in the next few days. Expect to hear a lot of people say "Not me, Guv".