If the eight Tory MPs weighing up defection headlines sounded a little familiar this morning, it’s because they were a rehash from an old story that was debunked at the time. Here is what Stuart Wheeler told the Telegraph way back in 2012:

“I have had lunch secretly if you like, in a completely confidential way, with eight different Tory MPs. Each was promised by me that I would not tell any of the others, or anybody else except Nigel.”

While it makes for a nice story, Guido suspects Carswell is flying solo for the foreseeable future due to the unique circumstances of his own politics and seat demographics. He’s also set the bar very high as the precedent for any future defection from any political party to another – it must now come with a by-election.