It is there on the list of parliamentary business, a little way beneath oral questions on exiting the European Union and a statement from the leader of the House of Commons. Chi Onwurah, the MP for Newcastle Central, will today lead an adjournment debate on the “Effectiveness of regulation of Newcastle United Football Club”, a dry sort of title which could be romanticised, she says, as “a dream, betrayed”.

It is funny what mention of parliament can do. After years of attempting to engage with Mike Ashley and repeated snubs, Onwurah, whose constituency includes St James’ Park, received an invitation to finally meet the club’s owner before Newcastle’s Premier League match against Cardiff City last Saturday. The timing was interesting and the conversation, she says,