What he knew and when about Lord Ashcroft is a big question, but perhaps a less interesting one than why the normally ruthless Tory leader has tolerated thisthorn in his side for so long.
Why Detanna waited so long to seek her expungement escapes me but the typical answer is that she was involved in a long-term employment relationship that did not require submission of an employment application that brought up thisthorn in her side.
This would be a 24 hour thorn in the side of the popular online retailer to be sure, but one that would affect their affiliate program, customers, and even the economy to some extent.
And since the job picture has been a thorn in the side of this economic recovery, some momentum on this front might go a long way in helping the current upswing in activity stick.