This morning “a person familiar with the premier’s thinking” hinted to Bloomberg’s Kitty Donaldson that Dave wanted to see Andrew Mitchell back in government. Now the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman has stoked the flames of Thrasher’s comeback, saying “the PM’s view remains that he hopes in time Mr Mitchell will be able to return to public life”.

The crucial pleb line is dead, even if that doesn’t get him off the hook for his other colourful language and his frankly disastrous crisis management. Though he would make a good policing minister…