Boris has been the subject of multiple character assassinations from jealous journalists this week – Rachel Sylvester’s professional foul was gleefully endorsed by like-minded colleagues, Nick Watt uncharacteristically told Newsnight viewers Boris had been “shovelling” his own “sh*t”. Are they right to write him off? During July and August Populus asked a panel of 41 Tory MPs who they thought would be the next Tory leader – 32% said Boris, well ahead of David Davis on 20% and Dominic Raab and Damian Green on 5%. Seems reports of his demise are a little premature…

The Labour picture is less consensual, with Keir Starmer leading on 15%, followed by Yvette Cooper on 13% and Angela Rayner on 11%. No surveyed Labour MP chose John McDonnell. Which begs another question, with Theresa May pledging to go on and on, will 68 year-old Jez fight the next election?