Veteran right wing Brexiteer has unexpectedly been doled out a knighthood from Number 10. By miraculous coincidence, he didn’t send Graham Brady a letter, and he hasn’t said he’ll vote against May’s Brexit deal, he is said to have also lobbied colleagues not to write letters. Cynics will note that he collected his gong well before the next honours list came round. Hayes knows Theresa May might not be around then so got his payment upfront…

This out of the blue knighthood comes before Parliament’s ‘meaningful vote’ on the Withdrawal Agreement, perhaps pour encourager les autres. Is the 2010 Bribery Act yet another piece of Cameron’s legacy that May is determined to get rid of?