How much longer can it go on? Rifkind’s campaign has no momentum and potential voters are likely to find KC more attractive.

Buried in the news about Clarke was Rifkind’s announcement of an expanded “campaign team” of Peter Bottomley, Jacqui Lait and Andrew Pelling (who?). He has also, Guido understands, added Bob Seely, a former press officer to Michael Howard and Toby Vintcent, a party hack in the Tory’s London region.

His parliamentary “campaign team” numbers four including Crispin Blunt – which is essentially everyone who has said they will back him – so they can all fit in a mini.