Mrs May breaks her word again

She was going to continue to 2020. Yet, for tactical - and possibly transitory - reasons she has decided to ask the Commons to vote this government out of office.

Of course, if she had been honest, she - as the head of a government which had changed the policy on which it had been elected, under a different PM - would have submitted to a general election in the autumn of last year.

[Later] A colleague on Facebook writes: "One also wonders how much the timing has to do with the Police reports to the CPS on the expenses scandal?"

If the CPS decides to proceed with enforcement action, then twelve Conservative seats could change hands, more than reversing the government majority.