Dark clouds fill the sky over the Ministry of Justice, with Ken Clarke getting rained on from a great height.

And to a large extent, he fully deserves his soaking.

Even appearing to distinguish between ‘date rape’ and ‘serious rape’ (he insists the quotes were taken out of context) is morally absurd and politically disastrous.

Nobody can honestly believe that the justice secretary thinks of rape as anything but abominable.

But his comments on a radio interview this morning were crass and confused and were gleefully seized upon by Ed Miliband.

The Labour leader had the haughty air of a luckless fisherman who finally lands a catch as he pinned David Cameron to the wall over PMQs.

His call for the sacking of Clarke was a marvellous piece of political opportunism, but should Miliband be careful what he wishes for?

In many ways, Clarke is currently one of Labour’s most potent weapons.

Law and order to the Tories is like spinach to Popeye – their credibility with the core blue voter depends on being tough on crime, and certainly tough on the criminal.

At times on this issue, Clarke appears to lean so far to the left he’s at risk of toppling over.

His stance on halving punishments for offenders who enter a guilty plea is anathema to most Conservative supporters, giving off an air of liberalism that many simply cannot stomach.

We should say at this point there is an argument to be made in favour of the sentencing reforms. Any attempt to prevent the indignity and horror of a rape victim having to give evidence in court is a worthy cause.

But this is an emotive issue on a subject that repels the public to such an extent that all rational logic flies out of the window.

It is strange that Miliband has taken so long to go for the Clarke jugular, having seen proposals for legal aid cuts and litigation reform pass almost without a murmur.

This episode will leave Clarke teetering on the brink, sat nervously on the naughty step of 10 Downing Street while Cameron decides how to punish his veteran miscreant.

If the prime minister decides to take out the justice secretary, Miliband may yet come to regret forcing out the man currently alienating so many of his own party’s natural supporters.