Before adding more comment on the now for sure referendum over our place in the EU (or not) this blog is planning to let the dust settle for a few hours and see what the shape of things to come actually is following manic negotiations, political ructions, a media frenzy and wall to wall news. It is in the end about whether we wish to be part of Europe or not and that is a question which has not vexed the public over much, but has traumatised the Tory party for over thirty years. All Europe knows that it is because of the Tory split we all have to go through this. Corbyn was right when he said the Tory schism has now grown to continental proportions. Labour too is split but not in such a frenetic fashion. It has learned its lesson at the last referendum.
The Tory party members are in the majority over sixty out in the countryside and of a certain stripe. Young people shun the party and relatively few join, the figure is in single figures. A far cry from the pre-Thatcher era when the Young Conservatives were the largest political youth organisation in the free world. Most of these older members want to leave, because they look back on a past, rather than contemplate a future. But nobody can tell what is going to happen over the next four months and the only certain thing is that referenda often take an unexpected turn, especially if something or someone sets them alight.
Which brings us back to Boris. Many important hearts flutter in Westminster tonight as they await his decision.