The study of Brexit will keep academics busy for decades. But the busiest won’t be historians or political scientists. They’ll be psychologists.

Just look what the EU referendum has done to us. On all sides it’s turned the moderate militant, the rational rabid, and the calm crazed. More than ever before, political thinking seems informed not by evidence or reason but by pride, pigheadedness, delusion – and above all else anger. What we’re witnessing isn’t the conventional cut and thrust of debate. It’s a collective nervous breakdown.

Wednesday's behaviour in the Commons would be worth a PhD on its own. MPs were back with a vengeance, and the first minister they hauled to the dispatch box was Geoffrey Cox – who, in his capacity as Attorney General, had assured the Prime Minister that suspending Parliament would be lawful. Mr Cox’s first few answers sounded calm enough – but within half an hour he seemed to be in absolute meltdown. Ranting and roaring, a spluttering combustion of beetroot-cheeked derangement, lashing out left, lashing out right, and trumpeting umbrage like an incensed bull elephant.

“This Parliament is a DEAD Parliament!” he bellowed. “It has no MORAL RIGHT to sit! But the time is coming, Mr Speaker, when even these TURKEYS won’t be able to prevent CHRISTMAS!”