In the immediate aftermath of the 2017 general election the usually rather ruthless Conservative party did something out of character. Momentarily stunned, it rallied around a leader who had failed upon contact with the electorate. The power brokers of the Tory tribe — that is leading cabinet ministers, the party’s office bearers, and major donors — chose to keep Theresa May in place because they could not agree on an alternative.

From that fateful and misguided decision flowed so many of the mistakes that led up to the farcical events of yesterday, when in chaotic fashion the prime minister had to withdraw the Commons vote on her Brexit deal.

The prime minister is off on a gruelling tour of European capitals today, seeking anything she