The first minister is forced out of the Cameron-Clegg team – does it fit recent trends in ministerial resignations?

The relatively smooth handling of David Laws’ resignation means that the coalition government has survived its first key shock, less than three weeks into office. Gita Subrahmanyam considers how this baptism of fire fits against the longer-term pattern in UK government since the 1990s for financial and sexual scandals to play a more prominent role in resignations, especially under Conservative governments.