Amber Rudd was one of the guests on the new Peston show last night, using the platform to lash out at the alternative Brexit plan supported by Boris and DD. Rudd claimed that 40 Tory MPs would vote against any Canada-style free trade deal. A majority of MPs have voted time and time again in the Commons to leave the single market and customs union – this number seems implausibly high…

Rudd also told Peston that if it was a choice between no deal or a second referendum, she would “absolutely” back having a second referendum and that Brexiteers “might not even get their Brexit”.

It’s funny, because that’s not what she told Conservative Party Conference last year:

“Back in June 2016, everyone had their say. The country made a clear decision. I have said it before and I say it again: I fully respect the result. We chose to Leave and we must make a success of Brexit.”

She was even more explicit on her own website in January this year, specifically clarifying that even if there was no deal, the UK would leave without one:

“The majority of the UK electorate voted to leave the EU and I believe that I have a democratic duty to deliver the result. This means that the UK will be leaving the EU in March 2019… In the unlikely situation that an agreement is not reached or Parliament votes to reject it, the UK will leave without a deal.”

Rudd was a passionate Remainer – she represented BSE in the final high-profile TV debates before the referendum, while her brother Roland was BSE’s Treasurer and now chairs the People’s Vote campaign. Since the referendum, she has gained respect from Leavers and Remainers alike for her commitment to honouring the result. Not a good look for her to be reverse-ferretting on her self-proclaimed “democratic duty” now…