Mrs May is like a marathon runner bursting through the wall while her foes flounder

Odd, isn’t it? Even before Theresa May unveiled her Brexit “deal”, her enemies in the European Research Group had long boasted that they were on the brink of toppling her.

All they had to do to trigger a vote of no confidence was persuade a set number of fellow MPS to write to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee. The magic total required was 48. For weeks they crowed that they were almost there. And yet somehow – nearly a week since Mrs May’s deal was published – their target had still not been reached.

Sadly for the ERG, their campaign has been beset by misfortune. First, their original pile of letters turned out to include a gas bill, a flier for Domino’s and a note from the Reader’s Digest announcing the Conservative Party had reached the second round of a prize draw worth up to £250,000.

Then a letter signed by Chris Grayling proved on closer inspection to be his list for Father Christmas.

Next it emerged that Nadine Dorries had misunderstood the instruction, and sent her letter to Liam Brady, the former Arsenal midfielder. She has since attempted to contact Karren Brady of The Apprentice, Vincent Brady, the former Irish defence minister, and the cast of The Brady Bunch. And while her foes flounder, Mrs May plods on. Yesterday she gave a speech to the Confederation of British Industry in London. “There’s one paramount issue facing our country at the moment,” she began, her face half-smile, half-sigh. “So let me get right to it …”

It’s a funny thing. In content, her speeches are as tedious as ever. Yet to watch her right now is fascinating. She looks lonely, drained, exhausted – yet utterly resolute. No matter how strong the pressure – or temptation – to resign, from somewhere she keeps finding reserves of stamina. She’s like a marathon runner who, with just a few miles to go, hits a wall – and then screws up her eyes, grits her teeth and simply bursts right through it.

Her audience sounded supportive, except for one man who ordered her to ignore “the CBI, which is really the Confederation of European Industry.”

This prompted groans of consternation from other attendees, and a gently deadpan reply from Mrs May: “You might not be surprised if I say that the portrayal you have given is a little inaccurate …” It later emerged that the man was the ex-boyfriend and election agent of Anne-marie Morris, a member of the ERG.

Will these luckless insurgents ever get their vote? And if they do, would they actually win? Some MPS have suggested that if Mrs May won, the Tories could split.

But that can’t be true. Surely the ERG would respect the result of the vote, and, even though they thought it would lead to disaster, get behind it to try and make it work?