The Boot & Flogger in Southwark is the perfect place for a free-marketeer to conspire, since it was until recently the only hostelry in the land that had the right to sell wine without having a licence, thanks to a charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1567.

The FT’s offices are nearby and it was David Davis’ misfortune that an FT hack was there on Thursday to overhear him referring to the “Brokeback Coalition”.

Hardly startling revelations that right-wingers are not overjoyed that Downing Street seems to care more about fifty odd LibDem MPs than two hundred Tory MPs. Just read ConservativeHome and you will see the same sentiments there almost daily…