It turns out David Laws has resigned, being replaced by Danny Alexander.

I very much hope he returns. He was able and competent, and possibly the only outwardly libertarian Cabinet member.

I have no opinion of Mr Alexander as yet, but I very much hope he rises to the occasion. He’s got some massive figurative shoes to fill, even if they were left by a physically small man.

With his resignation, Laws will have sought to retain some of his integrity and moral standing. To many, he should not have resigned at all, so his reputation will only increase. His noble political self-sacrifice will ensure that the perception of “new politics” will remain intact. He is the Coalition’s first martyr. Hopefully he will remain its last.

Edit: It turns out both the Prime Minister and his Deputy have indicated that they hope David Laws will be back in government at some stage in the future. I can’t wait until the next reshuffle.