Was Michael Gove punished for being too soft on crime?

Of today’s corpses piled up in Downing Street, none has caused more shock than that of Michael Gove. That Nicky Morgan, who signed Gove’s nomination papers to be leader, has also gone hints at some kind of personal animosity. But might the explanation be more straightforward than that – simply one of his policy and approach as justice secretary?

Gove acquired a reputation as a great reformer during his time at the Department for Education, facing down huge opposition from teachers’ unions in the process. He incurred considerable personal cost for doing this, with David Cameron shifting him to the whips office before the last election on the instructions of Sir Lynton Crosby, who feared Gove to be electorally toxic.

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Patrick O’Flynn

Reform is rattling the establishment

When Gove was handed the Department for Justice following last year’s general election, it seemed as if he might do for the legal profession what he did for teachers.