A blind spot on standards has marked the new government’s early days – but it’s not too late for Labour to restore trust in politics

In theory, Tulip Siddiq’s resignation as a junior Treasury minister ought to be a political bump in the road for Keir Starmer, not a pothole crash. Siddiq is a moderately interesting politician, but not a major one. She is not a household name. She is therefore expendable. The government’s direction is unaffected by her departure.

Naturally it is a grim personal moment for Siddiq. But it is mostly a matter of indifference to the British public. This is as it should be. Few ministers ever cut through widely. Even fewer resignations stand out – Geoffrey Howe, Robin Cook and Sajid Javid are among the exceptions, perhaps. Most ministers who resign, though, are simply washed away with the political tide. This is likely to be Siddiq’s fate.

Martin Kettle is a Guardian columnist