Apart from the judges, the civil service and the establishment (HERE), the prime minister herself is another target for the Brexiteers, according to this report HERE by Andrew Rawnsley in The Observer. Jacob Rees-Mogg claims to support her but would willingly stab her in the back if she shows any sign of having a mind of her own. She is in office only while she doesn't make a decision about Brexit.
Over at The Independent Matthew Norman describes Rees-Mogg as a dangerous and deceitful bully behind a mask of civility and on secondment from the 18th century (HERE) while Chukka Umuna thinks the Brexiteers are a threat to democracy (HERE). I think they're both right.
James Forsyth at The Spectator (HERE) echoes Nick Boles of a few days ago and says Mrs May must lead or go. At the moment she is doing neither.
At The Guardian Matthew D'Ancona (HERE) says the Brexit mess cannot continue and Theresa May must step down.
The problem for the Tories is that there is no obvious unity candidate and having a leadership contest now would be to launch a bloody civil war. It is like a Mexican stand-off. Everybody has a knife out but they all know nothing will happen until the first lunge. The question is - who will do it?
Peace of an uneasy sort exists inside the Conservative party only so far as no decision is made. Both sides can pretend they will get their own way. There is no middle ground. If there was it would have been found already rather than waiting until the last possible few days. Once a decision is made there will be a bloodbath. And a decision may well have to be made this week.
Perhaps we are witnessing the end game in the Tories long Eurosceptic saga. It would have been far better for the country if this had occurred thirty years ago and we could have gotten on with making society better instead of being stuck in a futile ideological rut.
