There was much jubilation last week among the crowds outside the Houses of Parliament when Theresa May’s deal went down to a record-breaking defeat. Yet we are likely to look back on that moment in future years as a calamitous one for British democracy.

At a stroke, the majority of MPs joined together to paralyse the only good government available, make Brexit impossible to deliver on schedule or even at all, and produce in much of the population an utter disgust with their proceedings. Most important of all, wittingly or not, they started the countdown to another referendum.

Yes, it is now quite likely that we will have to do it all again. Readers of this column will know that I say that with a heavy heart. For a second plebiscite on EU membership will be the most bitter and divisive event in our modern history, complete with unbridled anger, accusations of betrayal, harrowing doubt and distraction.

It will probably produce only a narrow victory for either side despite a long struggle, and leave a wounded country to limp on afterwards. But it’s coming, unless some extraordinary turn of events prevents it. It’s coming by a process of elimination, not because it’s a good idea in itself.