If any attempt to keep his error a secret. You may have a point.

But he was very open about the error. An easy error that many make every year. And fixed by back dating the new licence.

So no. A minister accepting he has the same requirements to address his errors as any other law abiding citizen. Really is not a negative.

PS yes it’s been decades since I fished. But historically yes EA inspectors etc allowed expired licence owners found fishing to renew this way.