Anyone hoping, encouraged by Dominic Cummings' public bravado, that ministers had found an ingenious way to get around the Benn Act in order to fulfill Boris Johnson's "do or die" desire for Brexit by the end of this month is set for disappointment.

The Government has indicated that the only viable loophole it has found to avoid a legal obligation is the one laid out under the terms of the Brexit-delay-mandating legislation, namely securing Parliament's approval for a deal.

Stephen Barclay confirmed to the mastermind of the so-called "Surrender Act", Hillary Benn, and his fellow Brexit committee members that the Government would "comply" with the law. The Brexit Secretary made clear that the government would respect the undertakings it gave to the courts earlier this month, which were so explicit in promising that the prime minister "will send a letter" as stipulated that the judges did not feel it necessary to issue any order to ensure compliance.

This means, amid the mounting speculation that Mr Johnson is about to seal a new deal, that MPs can expect to be faced with a choice of whether they - as the Prime Minister would put it - want to "get Brexit done" by backing it, or to force a "pointless delay".

Of course, that choice will be easy for Remainers, who'll vote for whatever allows them to keep their dream of a referendum alive. That was illustrated this morning by the delegation of Remain ultra MPs who trooped off on the Eurostar to Brussels to beg the EU to give the country more time to rethink its departure.