Matthew Lewis was booted out after bragging that he was looking for a blonde wig, "pink pyjamas, a teddy bear and a vial of fake blood" for his sick outfit. But he now leads the party's European youth organisation, a "player on the European stage" and a member of "Europe's most influential youth centre-right political organisations".

At the time of the original incident, then Tory chairman Caroline Spelman banned him from the party along with two other activists, with a spokesman for Kate and Gerry McCann saying:

"The offensiveness of his actions is almost beyond belief. It is a disgrace that Madeleine should be made fun of in this way."

But Lewis now represents the Conservative Europe Group — whose president is cabinet member Ken Clarke – at meetings in continental cities such as Brussels and Berlin.

With his membership re-approved under the chairmanship of Baroness Warsi, Scrapbook wonders who then cleared Lewis for his European role?