Theresa May extends a squeamish hand to Jeremy Corbyn with fate of the nation at stake

Strictly speaking, this is not the first time that Theresa May has tried to break free of the malign grip of the Eurosceptic Right. Her decision to hold a snap general election in June 2017 was generally interpreted as a bid to secure a personal mandate and the right to negotiate with Brussels on her own terms. “Crush the saboteurs” boomed the Daily Mail after she announced her plan. This was indeed the Prime Minister’s intention. But, according to those who worked with her at the time, the prospective “saboteurs” were not Tory Remainers but the much larger number of Brexiteer hardliners: the PM knew that they would never be happy with the deal that she was likely to deliver, and sought a thumping Commons majority to liberate her from their veto.