Timetable of blunders

5 October: Byers puts Railtrack into administration, angering the City.

8 October: The 11 September memo is revealed. Eight days later, Moore apologises but refuses to resign and the following day is backed by the Prime Minister.

13 February: Communications director Martin Sixsmith warns Moore in a leaked email not to release bad rail performance statistics on the same day as Princess Margaret's funeral or they would be accused of "burying bad news".

14 February: Moore and the Prime Minister's official spokesman deny the email exists. Robin Cook tells Parliament the same, but later issues a statement saying he had been misled.

15 February: Moore finally resigns and the resignation of Martin Sixsmith is announced. Nine days later he denies he resigned.

7 May: Transport Department admits Sixsmith did not resign in February.

22 May: Pam Warren reveals she had met Byers a month before he pulled the plug on Railtrack and he had told her the firm "wouldn't be much trouble much longer".

25 May: Transport Select Committee brands Byers's 10-year plan a waste of taxpayers' money.

28 May: Byers resigns, saying he has become "a distraction".

Today: Government confirms email was sent from a special adviser asking for information on "people taking over from Pam Warren".