‘Shameful act of double-dealing’

Yet that is what has been happening on a substantial scale thanks to the furore over Brexit.

A substantial number of Labour and Tory MPs have decided that their own political interests would be best served by swapping horses in midstream, as it were.

However, people who voted for them at the general election did not vote for their original party, only to find themselves with an MP for a different party.

Therefore it is a matter of honour that they should have resigned if they are to take up a new banner. It is cheating their voters to do otherwise and a shameful act of double-dealing.

But none of these MPs ever did this and so we are left with a large number of voters who backed one party and find themselves lumbered with another one.

It is a disgrace that voters should have been ignored in this shameful way but, generally speaking, MPs are too self-centred to realise what they are doing.

One day, this may alter, but I would not put my life savings on it.

- Few tears will be shed - except for crocodile tears - when Commons Speaker John Bercow finally quits the job.

He has clung on to it like a barnacle for years now. Many MPs, particularly Conservatives, believe he was the worst Speaker there ever was.

He built up feuds with some MPs and, apparently, favouritism among some others. No-one, it seems, will be sorry to see him go.

A number of hopefuls have thrown their hats into the ring, including his deputy, Lindsay Hoyle.

It would have done Mr Bercow a lot of good to have listened to the way his number two operated in the chair, but no-one wants to take advice from his deputy, do they?

Mr Bercow has proved less than fair-minded over some issues and has expressed views on, for instance, US President Donald Trump, which no Speaker should have uttered.

Parliament will be entering a “brave new era” when we see him bite the dust.