Condemned men

THERE has been a chorus of condemnation of inexperienced new Chief Whip, Julian Smith, after last week’s Commons defeat — and reasonably so. He’s clearly not up to the job. However, party chairman, Patrick McLoughlin deserves more blame. Wednesday’s humbling would never have happened if he had done his job properly. Mrs May should waste no time in getting rid of this piece of deadwood in her ministerial re-shuffle early in the New Year.