In the Millbank offices of the child sex abuse inquiry, tensions between Dame Lowell Goddard and her team had been building for some time.

They reached a climax on Thursday when a source alerted The Sunday Times. “The confrontation with Goddard will take place today,” the insider said. “If she tries to cling to office and goes to Theresa May or Amber Rudd, she will discover that there is no support for her.”

A few hours later Goddard had gone — tendering a curt resignation letter that was immediately accepted by Rudd, the home secretary. It was the culmination of months…