In fact, there are two types of density, according to a recent study by PeterGordon of the University of Southern California and Sanford Ikeda of the State University of New York, Purchase.
IR Bagehot's symbolism is clear in one respect: Geoffrey Robinson is of a piece with Tony Blair, Peter Mandelson and Gordon Brown, who have position but no magnitude.
Like Peter Robinson and Gordon Brown he had been a number two for some time and, like them, it was always believed he would eventually get the top job.