Jeremy Corbyn has no choice but to back article 50, and some of his MPs have no choice but to defy his order to back the triggering of it. Labour is in a unique bind. Most of its supporters voted to remain in the EU; most of its constituencies voted to leave. Its electoral coalition embraces younger and black and minority ethnic voters in major cities who are upset, angry, even traumatised by the referendum and its aftermath. It also includes older voters in places like Doncaster and Oldham who feel that they have finally got their country back. Even a Labour leadership that wasn’t beset by many other challenges and problems would struggle with such a plight.

Consider this. If Corbyn refused to activate article 50, the Tories would accuse Labour of subverting the will of the people. Polls show that a large majority of people expect the referendum result to be honoured, including millions of remain voters. The Tory press would launch a campaign bordering on hysteria. Theresa May would play a populist card – the political elite are trying to obstruct the will of the people – and call a snap general election that would decimate Labour. Polling already shows that Labour is haemorrhaging the support of leave voters. The Tories would have a huge pool of potential support: not just leave supporters, but people who voted both Tory and remain who will stick with their party.

But consider this, too. There are Labour MPs who represent constituencies that voted remain. Some of these voters are angry about the result, scared about the future and frustrated with Labour’s leadership. They are being courted by the Lib Dems and the Greens. Some Labour MPs could be toppled by a Lib Dem; alternatively, as Labour’s vote crumbles, a Conservative candidate could come through the middle. As one Labour MP from a remain constituency tells me: “Unless there’s a cast-iron guarantee the British people will get a say on the final deal, I won’t vote to trigger article 50. If it’s irreversible as the government says then I can’t – given May’s stated hard Brexit objectives and her party’s political track record – trigger article 50 on such terms.”

So Corbyn should say he will back article 50 because he respects the will of the people. Labour will oppose May’s proposed deal, because it doesn’t put the economy, jobs and living standards first. The single market takes priority, because otherwise the country’s future is at risk. Meanwhile, some Labour MPs will have to take a stand and vote against article 50.

Politics is always messy: in our era, particularly so. The Labour leadership’s strategy and vision on Brexit – along with other issues – has not been clear, antagonising both remain and leave supporters. The economy, jobs and living standards have to be the priorities it repeats ad infinitum. Will Labour MPs rebelling help that clarity? No. But the Labour leadership and its backbenchers are in a bind. They will all have to do what they have to do.