AT the start of the week, we called on David Cameron to act decisively over the pickle in which Defence Secretary Liam Fox has landed himself.

Having failed to do so, the Prime Minister is allowing the embarrassment over Dr Fox’s bizarre relationship with his businessman friend, Adam Werritty, to drag on.

In a statement to MPs on Monday, Dr Fox apologised for allowing a “blurring” of his personal and professional life.

But it is an apology which leaves too many questions unanswered.

It is one thing to have a close friend, but why does that close friend need to follow Dr Fox round the world – to Singapore, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Qatar and Sri Lanka?

It is one thing to have a close friend, but why would that close friend be passing round business cards purporting to be an advisor to the Secretary of State?

There is, so far, no evidence that Mr Werritty benefited financially from his extraordinary, globe-trotting closeness to Dr Fox.

However, an official report from an internal inquiry is not due to be presented to Mr Cameron until October 21, and that is a very long time in politics.

Irrespective of the findings of the internal inquiry, there is already enough evidence that Liam Fox’s judgement is seriously flawed.

And the Prime Minister should, therefore, stop dithering about whether he should remain in charge of the Ministry of Defence.