His solicitor advocate Iain Paterson argued that the sentence imposed was "excessive".

BBC: Child rapist Michael McNeill has 14-year jail term cut

The Tory right, who have few voices in the cabinet (such as Iain Duncan Smith and Owen Paterson), would not be slow to highlight the double standards.

ECONOMIST: The defence secretary

If the impression takes hold that cabinet members can openly criticise colleagues and government decisions without resigning, Eurosceptics such as Iain Duncan Smith (the work and pensions secretary) and Owen Paterson (the Northern Ireland secretary) will feel more liberated to speak out too.

ECONOMIST: The coalition after the veto