The 'Farage effect' for the prime minister appears to have been to convince him that, with the opinion polls stubbornly sticking to a large Labour lead, a large dose of populist politics was the only thing that might save the day.

The committee’s total ire is revealed in a final recommendation that Johnson should not be entitled to a former member’s pass to enter the parliamentary estate.

Is partygate going to be the issue that brings Johnson down? Probably not.

The humiliation of asking for a Brexit extension could be a price worth paying to get an election.

Parliamentarians and party members have held their noses and voted in a man deeply unsuited to lead. Now the British public must live with their choice.