Even a critic of Theresa May must marvel at the prime minister’s resilience. Since she took office, only two years ago this week, May has lost her two closest advisers, squandered a hard-won Tory majority, mislaid almost half a cabinet and been mocked mercilessly in a manner that must be tough for a naturally shy and reserved person to take. But at no point, it seems, has she deviated from her determination to keep going.

I wish May hadn’t kept going, but persist she did, and here we all are with the British government finally having a proposal — not a deal, a proposal — to put to the EU.

There is much unhappiness in the Tory tribe about the substance of the imperfect Chequers