Former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt is to stand down as an MP at the next election but has said the move has nothing to do with the expenses furore.
Then why announce this at precisely the time when it could be construed as being so? Beverley Hughes is similarly insisting her departure is not linked to the Telegraph's revelations.
It's understandable that they wish to leave enough time for their succeeding Labour candidate to be chosen and installed but surely, with the general election due in around May next year, they could easily have delayed their announcements until such time as the furore has died down.
Or is there something they know about the scheduling of the next election which they aren't telling us?
UPDATE: And another one, Tom Watson. Autumn it is then.
