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20 years ago, or thereabouts, I sat and listened to the two most hardline Thatcherite speeches that I have ever heard. They were delivered by John Bercow and Oliver Letwin. Make of that what you will.

This House of Commons was elected a year after the EU referendum. Between them, the Conservative Party and the DUP have an overall majority. 

But the only positions on Brexit that could command majority support in it are the revoking of Article 50 in order to cancel the whole thing altogether, and a referendum between Theresa May's deal and Remain.

In effect, that would be a referendum between Remain and Return, since it would not be 10 years, and probably not five, before life under Theresa May's deal had Britain begging to be let back into the EU on absolutely any terms that any member state chose to set.

A referendum between that and Remain might command majority support in this House of Commons, elected a year after the last referendum, and with a Conservative and DUP overall majority.

Or simply revoking Article 50 and forgetting that there was ever any such word as "Brexit"might command majority support in this House of Commons, elected a year after the Brexit referendum, and with a Conservative and DUP overall majority.

But nothing else could. Except, at a push, May's deal without a referendum, finally nodded through by the likes of Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg, joining the already signed up figures of David Davis and Nadine Dorries.

Another hung Parliament is coming, however, and we need our people to hold the balance of power in it. It has become a local commonplace that I am on 30-30-30 with Labour and the Conservatives here at North West Durham, so that any one of us could be the First Past the Post. I will stand for this seat, if I can raise the £10,000 necessary to mount a serious campaign. Please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.