ERG now flirting with DUP again but cannot be trusted

Another Tory MP, the leading eurosceptic Steve Baker, retweeted the idea, and implied that was worth exploring.

It is hard to know where to begin to express contempt for this sort of slipperiness.

Once again the EU recently ran rings round a British Conservative and Unionist government in securing a Withdrawal Agreement that is very close to everything the intransigent Irish government demanded.

Once again a British Conservative and Unionist government made sure that the sensibilities of nationalist Ireland, that there never be a change to the Irish land border under any circumstances, trump any concerns that unionists had, even those of the DUP propping it up.

Then, both times, when the said government struggled to get its plans through the House of Commons, suddenly backbench Tories empathised with the DUP.

It is too late for that.

The ERG group of eurosceptics showed their hand last week. Their comments of solidarity with the DUP were shown to be worth zilch.

Of course the DUP might have to vote with the Tories soon to try to get a better outcome.

But if Mr Johnson fails to get an election there is no ducking the confidence and supply question.

Meanwhile, assurances — as Sammy Wilson said in this newspaper — will never be enough from any of this crowd.

They have shown themselves to have almost no resolve to support the Union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the DUP must now cast around for different allies even if on particular votes it will have to side with those who en masse betrayed them.