Opposition to a deal hit 69 per cent of Party member respondents last July, reached a new peak of 74 per cent in December…and climbs to 78 per cent this month. 18 per cent of these respondents want a pact – that’s a record low to match the record high of those that don’t.

The results for a pre-election deal with the Liberal Democrats barely flicker. Five per cent are for it, 91 per cent are against.

This loyalist rally to the Party’s election standard is to be expected. Indeed, it is so predictable that I’m tempted to scrap the question altogether. However, if the polls don’t move it may be best to keep an open mind about running it for one last time next month.

The question of pacts or deals with either party – and others, such as the Democratic Unionists – will become live after the election if the result replicates the average of present polls (which of course it may not).

Almost 750 Party members replied to the survey, which is tested against a control panel that was originally supplied by YouGov. It may be worth noting that these respondents find the question worth answering: only seven skipped it.