The last-minute attempt by Attorney General Geoffrey Cox to win concessions from the EU over the Northern Ireland backstop looks likely to fail. If it does, so will Prime Minister Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement in its second Commons vote next week.

“Leavers” will then have a huge task to try to win the “no-deal exit” vote in this “Remainer”-led parliament. Their slim hope is that politicians with “Leave”-majority constituencies may put job security first.