In normal circumstances a prime minister would not survive seven cabinet resignations in as many months. Theresa May has lost — among others — her foreign secretary, defence secretary, home secretary, de facto deputy prime minister and the Brexit secretary who was responsible for delivering the policy of greatest importance for the government and the country. She has also squandered her parliamentary majority and the respect of her MPs by calling an unnecessary election. It is incredible yet she muddles on, “held hostage and chained to the radiators in No 10”, as one former cabinet minister puts it, by her party’s inability to decide who should replace her.

Even if 48 MPs do write to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, demanding