This could be a Michael Fish moment for Bob Neill. The backbench MP declared that even if the Tories lost more than three hundred seats on Thursday then everything will be alright for Dave, the party totally love him and they would forgive such an horrendous punishment beating.

Neill has nailed his colours to his mast but Guido hears that not all of his parliamentary colleagues are so brazen/confident. A “what-if” contingency plan is being hatched by the men in grey suits, in the unlikely event of total wipe out north of 400+.