Having a tin ear is an insensitivity to subtlety or appropriateness in verbal expression. Two ministers in the Johnson Government have demonstrated the affliction in the past two days.

First, Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey “corrected” Marcus Rashfords comments about water being turned off in lockdown. Ms Coffey was technically right but morally wrong. A clever riposte in a debate about the health of some of the countries poorest citizens which was totally beside the point.

Today Dominic Raab, Foreign Secretary has matched her priceless insensitivity on the issue of “taking the knee”. What was he thinking? Why on earth did he think this was an appropriate comment on the issue?

Individually these are gross misjudgements betraying a breathtaking insensitivity. Taken together they suggest a government out of touch with little understanding, much less empathy, for people facing the challenges of poverty and racism.