POLITICIANS are often caught between a rock and a hard place and this time it was the turn of Damian Green aka the First Secretary of State.

Now Mr G, who was standing in for the big T as she was in the Middle East, is being investigated for alleged inappropriate behaviour; claims that he had made inappropriate advances to a young female activist and that pornography was found by police on a computer in his office.

His Shadow, Labour’s Emily Thornberry, was quick off the mark and appeared to be seeking to corner the First Sec for a metaphorical drubbing.

“Can I ask the First Secretary of State about a simple point of principle? Is he happy to be held to the same standards in government that he required of others while in opposition?”

Mr G shifted uneasily as this appeared to be a reference to his little local difficulty.

After the First Sec insisted all ministers should respect and obey the ministerial code, Ms Thornberry then declared: “The First Secretary of State looked rather perturbed at my line of questioning but he does not need to worry; I really am not going there.”

In fact, Ms T then went on a meandering journey, asking whether he remembered the question on the NHS he had asked at PMQs almost 17 years ago. Of course, he did. Not.

However, the First Sec did indeed look perturbed when the issue of sexual harassment was taken up by the no-nonsense Labour inquisitor John Mann.

Noting how “being believed, reliving trauma, fear of publicity, a culture of denial” were some of the reasons why many women were reluctant to report rape, assault and sexual harassment, the Nottinghamshire MP asked Mr G to lead by example and on behalf of the Government, “apologise to the victims who Parliament and Government have been letting down?"

The First Sec shuffled uncomfortably at the dispatch box as to apologise might give the impression he was in some way saying sorry for the allegations he is facing and is denying forcefully. Not to apologise, when the PM had, would also look awkward.

In the end, Mr G opted for the latter, saying all parties needed to improve complaints procedures and other aspects of the "culture of politics" to ensure young men and women at Westminster felt comfortable.

But until the inquiry is concluded, the rock and the hard place will remain for the First Sec.