No-one seemed sure. Was he being kept on because he had uncharted talents? Did he have something on somebody to avoid the sack? Was he still in place because he was telling the truth about how poor and put-upon our MPs really are?

Well the answer is now out in the open…none of the above. The BBC confirms:

“Alan Duncan, the senior Conservative secretly filmed complaining that MPs were expected to live on “rations”, has been demoted from the shadow cabinet. He goes from being shadow leader of the Commons to shadow prisons minister.

Mr Duncan, who was responsible for the Tories’ position on MPs’ expenses, is said to accept he is now a “lightning conductor” for anger over the issue. The Rutland and Melton MP agreed to leave the shadow cabinet after a meeting with Tory leader David Cameron.

A replacement is to be announced on Tuesday.”

He’s left the Shadow Cabinet to spend more time with his oil directorships and, of course, checking down the back of the sofa for any discarded half-eaten canapes.