[moomin]

The conservatives have a serious problem right now: pragmatism is seen as being ideologically unsound. Look at the amount of briefing against Philip Hammond there's been. We're talking about a fairly competent, pro-Leave chancellor who has merely argued that potential downsides should be evaluated properly before charging ahead. And he's treated like a Traitor To The Cause.

The problem being that Conservative MPs can be competent, moral and a true believer in Brexit. But it seems to be impossible to be all three.

(The last sounds like a joke, but the exception may prove the rule: Stephen Phillips is definitely a true believer, and demonstrated his integrity by quitting his seat due to his horror at the way Brexit was being handled. Boris Johnson, on the other hand, is none of the above.)

[tonyedgecombe]

Yes, I fully expect them to revert to their old ways and tear themselves apart over Europe.