JACQUI SMITH is poised to stand down as Home Secretary. Chancellor Alistair Darling is badly wounded and tipped to be replaced in an imminent reshuffle. The behaviour of Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has been described by the Prime Minister as “totally unacceptable”. And Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon is having to repay some of his expenses.

It is hard to shake-off the feeling that the Government is falling apart in the wake of the expenses scandal, and there are still some potentially painful election results to come over the next few days.

Ms Smith lost much of her credibility when she was heavily criticised for listing her sister’s London house as her main home, and submitting a claim for an adult movie watched by her husband.

It is hard to continue as Home Secretary while carrying that kind of baggage, and she has probably jumped before she was pushed.

Mr Darling, too, has lost the confidence of the nation – and, apparently, of the Prime Minister. How can we trust someone with the nation’s finances when he can’t keep a grip on his own expenses?

Ms Blears and Mr Hoon have, in our view, behaved disgracefully and woolly excuses about administrative errors are simply not good enough.

It leaves Gordon Brown in an everdeepening hole as he considers a reshuffle which amounts to his last throw of the dice.

He must pick a team capable of restoring the confidence of his own party, and winning an election.

On both counts, it looks a very tall order.