Does Jeremy Corbyn really want a general election as soon as a Brexit delay is secured? To listen to his words and to hear the briefing from his spin doctors would appear to leave no room for any ambiguity.

As ever with the Labour leader, the reality is more nuanced — or, as one well-placed party source put it today: “It’s an unholy mess.”

Mr Corbyn’s preference is, in some ways, beside the point.

He has been repeatedly warned that a significant number — perhaps even a majority — of Labour MPs would defy a whip to back an election before Brexit is resolved.

It is hard to imagine a worse start to an election campaign for a leader than to go over the top