I think the reference to TA Officers is a ConHome sub-editing issue rather than the H&F policy issue. The plan is for members of the TA (all ranks) to be eligible.

The department made a mistake which was presented as fact by the SoS, Michael apologised for the mistake. This chain of events is unfortunate but these things happen, the idea that this was some cynical act is comic. Watson's behaviour was childish and so poorly acted as to be incredible, he goes from complete calm to furious and back to calm in about 10 seconds. He has got his Youtube moment which is, I suspect, all he was after.

Great news, a result for both Nicola and the association.

As Teesbridge said a ban on employing family members would not prevent this from happening: "Tufton Bufton MP will employ the fragrant Mrs Gore-Blimey, while quite by chance Tarquin Gore-Blimey MP will employ the equally fragrant Mrs Bufton". Nor would it prevent the employment of the child of the Association chairman etc. MPs work funny hours and if having a wife or husband on the staff helps to keep a few marriages together then I'm not opposed to it. I would have thought that the simple answer was to stop MPs employing anyone directly. Their staff should be employed by the House and should meet the job spec, personal spec, working hours etc. as defined for the job. As long as they are qualified to do the job and then actually do the job there should be no problem in employing family.