The big question in British politics now is not if Boris Johnson will resign, but when. Should he go next week, or should he wait until 19 October, when the law requires him to sign a letter asking the EU for a Brexit extension?

All the routes out of the dead end seem to be closed. The Scottish National Party isn’t going to rescue him at the last moment by ditching the other parties in the anti-no-deal alliance and voting for an early election.