Right Out

The key part of the defeat of Theresa May over Brexit will be the votes of all Labour MPs against her proposals. Of all Opposition MPs even including the DUP, in fact. That alone will defeat her even if no Conservative MP votes against her. But bless any, I suppose, if they do.

Of those who might, the irreconcilable Remainers will turn out to be as numerous as the Hard Brexit lot, and a very great deal more distinguished. One of them is a former Health Secretary, Education Secretary, Home Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Lord Chancellor. No one in the European Research Group has a CV remotely comparable to that.

Oh, well, that is the Conservative Right for you. Convinced of the virtues of the free market and of self-reliance, based on a lifetime of academic sinecures, of independent incomes derived from heavily subsidised agriculture, and of being wards of the Ministry of Defence, they believe themselves to be uniquely qualified to run everything, and they are consumed with rage that they are the only people who are never allowed to run anything at all.

Even the Labour Left and all points left are standing on the cusp of power, but the Conservative Right and all points right are no closer to it than they have ever been. Indeed, a Conservative Government now identifies them as the principal threat to national security, and it is embarked upon treating them accordingly.

So never rely on the Right for anything. Thankfully, we do not have to. The key part of the defeat of Theresa May over Brexit will be the votes of all Labour MPs against her proposals. Of all Opposition MPs even including the DUP, in fact. That alone will defeat her even if no Conservative MP votes against her. But bless any, I suppose, if they do.