THE Prime Minister has stirred up a seething cauldron of fury over her plans for Brexit, with the Tory Party ragged and split open in a way that has never been seen before. Each day produces more problems for her Tory Brexiteer would-be rebels. The news that Brussels wants to extend the transition period by two years has made them almost apoplectic with rage.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister appears to be running an almost ‘one-man band’ last-minute operation in Brussels. Is her new Brexit Secretary, Stephen Barclay, no more than a mere cipher, being left out in the cold?

But May, despite the unremitting bombardment of brickbats being hurled her way, refuses, of her own volition, to shift from Downing Street or to drop or even amend her heavily criticised Chequers proposals.

You have to hand it to her. She has stood up remarkably well to this unprecedented barrage with which she is confronted every day. There is no let up.

But of course, she has no control over the rebels who may be able to produce enough numbers to force a vote of confidence on her leadership – perhaps even this week, who knows?

Such a move would, of course, delight Brussels, who see the UK’s already shambolic negotiations collapse into even more chaos.

Loyalty and discretion were once the hallmarks of the Conservative Party. That is no longer the case. Meanwhile, Labour remain at sixes-and-sevens, with Jeremy Corbyn not pointing his party in any particular direction. In short, the whole shebang is a woeful mess.

So, as the Tory whips metaphorically (we hope) twist arms and issue threats to would-be rebels, the British political system is gradually but discernibly being reduced to rubble. Whoever suspected that that referendum would lead to such a dire situation?

THERESA MAY called in aid her cricketing hero Geoffrey Boycott when she was asked how she was coping with all the brickbats that were being hurled at her over Brexit.

She replied to the effect that Boycott always stuck to his guns and remained at the crease, and the required runs always eventually came.

But no mention was made of the fact that Boycott was not always regarded as a good team man by his fellow players.

Once in the second test match against New Zealand at Christchurch in 1978, England desperately required quick runs.

But Boycott was at the crease, batting in his impeccable but infuriatingly funereal way much to the frustration of his colleagues.

So when Ian Botham went out to bat, he was under instructions to run Boycott out – which he successfully did.

Relations between the two players were at sub-zero level for ages after that.

The Prime Minister may have been right to say that Boycott would stick to the crease until Kingdom Come.

But she did not appreciate that when Boycott got the required runs it was often not until Kingdom Gone.