Commons Speaker Michael Martin's admission this afternoon that neither he nor the serjeant at arms asked police if they had a warrant before they raided Damian Green's parliamentary office was a serious oversight.
MPs' response to the revelation was relatively muted in the Commons this afternoon. Most Tories have given up on the idea of trying to oust the Speaker, knowing full well that Labour MPs would rally around their own.
But the political pundits – many of whom have always had it in for Martin – seized on the news.
James Kirkup in the Daily Telegraph was among the first to ask whether Martin could remain in his post.
The Daily Mail's Ben Brogan said the the Speaker was now "irretrieveably damaged", but that his statement meant he wouldn't go until the next election.
On the Times website, Sam Coates accused Martin of "seeking to spread blame far and wide to avoid it landing on himself".
Over on Coffee House, Fraser Nelson said he believed the Speaker was merely "passing the buck".
However, most seem to be of the view that it would be the serjeant, Jill Pay, who would take the bullet. Coates points out: "She has not had her endorsement (approbation) from the Queen, which could make it easier to get rid of her."
