Worse still

"I don't think it's unfair at all to suggest that Alan Johnson's failings are in part due to his lack of knowledge of the consequences. ... All politicians SHOULD have a deep understanding of the machinery of the system."

I'm disturbed by that too. But disturbed even more by the way the ruling classes in this country are ignorant of the most basic facts about science. Not just politicians, but media, law etc. Indeed, many opinion formers seem almost proud of their ignorance of these matters (not Melvin Bragg, of couse).

It seems astonishing to me that we have people in charge of the country who are ignorant of the scientific method, of the consequences of the periodic table, of the laws of thermodynamics, of the most basic forms of statistics.

The classic example was John Prescott telling us that 'No-one in Britain should be paid less than the average wage', but there are more insidious pockets of ignorance that really should not exist in the 21st century.

But then, what can you expect of a bunch of people who have redefined the word "Investment" until it merely means "expenditure"?

My sympathies in this matter remain entirely with Professor Nutt, whom I respect enormously. Far from being pilloried for his horse-riding comparison he should be congratulated on such a simple and easily grasped method of putting things into perspective. Johnson's oafish behaviour reminds me of a small boy whining in the playground when his ball skills are inferior to the rest of the team.