The mainstream media has reported that a police officer who protected Alan Johnson and his wife when he was Home Secretary has been referred to Scotland Yard's standards watchdog, it has emerged. The news came hours after Mr Johnson stepped down as shadow chancellor on Thursday, citing family reasons.

Johnson gave no details but there have been widespread rumours about the state of his marriage. Scotland Yard said a constable had been referred to its Directorate of Professional Standards. The directorate investigates complaints about officers' conduct. The Metropolitan Police statement said only that "certain matters regarding a constable were referred to the Directorate of Professional Standards", adding "we are not in a position to discuss this matter any further".

Put simply... yet another police officer has been caught shagging!

The relevance to activist groups is that, on this occasion, the un-named PC was apparently having sex with the Home Secretary's wife. It will be interesting to see whether these allegations are treated with the same seriousness as the claims that undercover officers have been doing the same thing to protesters albeit without them knowing that they were police officers.

Interesting times.