Old bonds

moted beyond her current senior minister of state level.

Nonetheless, some Tories believe the political repercussions of losing Britain’s first Muslim female cabinet minister shouldn’t be dismissed.

Paul Goodman, editor of the influential ConservativeHome website, argued this week that the Tories shouldn’t exploit Gaza for electoral purposes, as he claims Miliband and Clegg are doing. Nonetheless he cautioned: “It’s true that most Muslims don’t vote Tory and are concentrated in Labour seats. But enough supported the party in 2010 and live in marginals to matter electorally.”

With less than a year to go until the election, any chance of Vandenberg’s axiom applying to Gaza appears less a statement of fact than so much wishful thinking.