The Tories’ very own Mr Corbyn

Six months on, we’re still marvelling at the fact that Labour are being led by an obscure, eccentric backbencher.

In the not too distant future, however, we may find that the Tories are, too.

Imagine this. The three obvious favourites to succeed David Cameron – that’s George Osborne, Boris Johnson and Theresa May – all decide to join the PM in campaigning for Britain to stay in the EU.

Now imagine that the public votes to leave.

At a stroke, all three are done for. The referendum result would leave them, and Mr Cameron, wildly out of touch with both party and country. The new leader would have to be a Eurosceptic. Which leaves a choice between minor, unfancied ministers (Chris Grayling? Theresa Villiers?), blasts from the past (Liam Fox? David Davis?) and obscure, eccentric backbenchers (Philip Davies? Peter Bone?).

What a bonfire of the establishment. The media would be beside itself. This would dwarf the fuss about Mr Corbyn. Because, unlike him, this improbable new Tory leader would actually get to be prime minister.