The shame of Jacob Rees-Mogg

Until this morning Jacob Rees-Mogg had had a remarkable Brexit. From being an obscure backbencher he had risen, without any formal position, to being just about the most powerful figure in the Conservative party after the Prime Minister. He controlled a party within a party, influencing the votes of seventy or so MPs. He became the most lucid of all MPs on Brexit, speaking with a logic and clarity which disarmed his opponents. He introduced a term to the debate – vassalage – which identified perfectly the weakness of Theresa May’s deal, and emphasised how the EU had successfully driven the Prime Minister into a corner.

But this morning, all that has gone. In a piece in the Daily Mail, Rees-Mogg has revealed his weak knees as sure as if he were a contestant in a Butlins’ competition. He apologises, as he put it, for changing his mind. He will now vote for May’s deal – assuming, that is, he gets a chance.