We shall know the result of the latest Brexit battle within hours, so why chin-wag about the Commons arithmetic? It does, however, appear that the Tory European Research Group of Brexit hardliners has caved — and “cave” is the word. The only sense in which the backstop has been “removed” is that the backstop’s threat to hive off Northern Ireland has been conceded in advance by the British government. We have amputated one of our own feet in order to escape the “trap” that the ERG believes Brussels set for us.

Some Commons Remainers look equally likely to cave. Tired, they stare blearily at the smallprint about ludicrous plans for levying customs duties then reimbursing certain people in certain circumstances — and their eyes glaze