Just about anything is possible in British politics at the moment and an early general election is among them. Though Labour failed in its vote of confidence in the government last month, there are plenty of circumstances in which it could succeed with another one.

There are suggestions that Theresa May could call a snap Brexit election on the anniversary of D-Day, June 6, her own version of the Normandy landings, to cement her position as Tory leader and prime minister. Sajid Javid, the home secretary, has expressed about as much enthusiasm for this as Brenda from Bristol did a couple of years ago but that does not mean that it will not happen.

If there is an election it is almost certain that part