TSC recruits ringer - looks like they need him

Robert Peston's verdict on today's much-hyped grilling of the 'World's Worst Bankers' is, I think, an implicit criticism of the Treasury Select Committee:

Apologies carry weight when they are accompanied by a clear explanation by the miscreants of what they did wrong and why. And the problem with the sorries uttered by the former bosses of Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS is that they lacked a detailed account of why they did what they did. Mistakes were admitted - but motivation was glossed over.

Nick Robinson's verdict on the radio earlier was similar. So, is the TSC up to it? Many of the line-up seem to have held frontbench positions for a short time and then been sacked. Select Committee membership continues to be a consolation prize for such types. Wouldn't we have preferred a few more brain cells to rub together ... ? Here's a quick rundown:

John McFall (Chair) - Junior minister, Northern Ireland Office, 1998-1999 - sacked.
Michael Fallon - Junior education minister, '90-2 (sacked by the people of Darlington at the '92 election in favour of Alan Milburn), opposition Treasury spokesman '97-8 - retired due to 'ill health'.
George Mudie - Junior education minister, '98-9 - sacked.
Graham Brady - Resigned as Shadow Europe Minister in 2007 over grammar schools row
John Thurso - Lib Dem Scottish spokes to 2006 - sacked.
Nick Ainger - Junior Wales Minister, 2005-2007 - sacked.
Colin Breed - Sacked at least once as Lib Dem Treasury spokes
Jim Cousins - sacked as frontbencher in 1996 for missing a Commons vote for returning late from Kurdistan.
Sally Keeble - Junior DfID minister, 2002-3 - sacked.
Andy Love - DTI miniser to 2005 - sacked.
John Mann
Mark Todd
Sir Peter Viggers - Sacked by Thatcher as Industry minister in 1989.

I make that nine sackings out of thirteen. No wonder that, in the past week, they felt the need to recruit a ringer with proper academic credentials.