THE August silly-season is getting sillier and sillier.

Jeremy Corbyn’s much ridiculed letter to opposition leaders, saying he would bring a vote of no confidence in the Government and then lead a government of national unity (GNU), merely served to remind us that more than half of Labour MPs have no confidence in their own leader.

Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson came out of her corner fighting, highlighting just how ridiculous Corbyn’s idea was, and that any GNU should be led by a respected parliamentary grandee, suggesting Father of the House Ken Clarke, or Mother of the House Harriet Harman. Both are well respected.

Ken Clarke pointed out that in trying to avoid a no deal Brexit, MPs who are against no deal are split several ways, some advocating a Norway-style deal, others looking at a Swiss-style deal, yet more at a customs union Turkish-style deal, whilst others want to go straight to the Canada-style free trade deal. Don’t forget many want a second referendum.

Any GNU prime minister would have their work cut out to secure any type of consensus over one style of Brexit. And remember, we are still arguing about the transitional deal, not the final deal.

All the rows about the shape of the future free trade, long-term framework with the EU have yet to start.

The weekend’s revelations of the leaked, Project Yellowhammer document highlight just why MPs are, broadly, committed to finding a deal.

Despite protestations by die-hard no deal Brexiteers that the document was part of Project Fear, the dossier was commissioned by the government to establish what risks lie in a no deal Brexit.

The government says it needs to establish the risks associated with no deal and then prepare for them. The cabinet minister responsible said the document was not recent (this is disputed) but accepted that there would be “bumps in the road” to a no deal Brexit.

With overwhelming evidence from the government itself, through countless business organisations, to large, medium and small businesses, presenting evidence that a no deal Brexit would be damaging, MPs are being asked by hard Brexiteers to believe that it will be alright on the night.

Taking a punt on the livelihoods of tens of thousands of citizens in this country based on a hunch, in the face of widespread research highlighting dangers, goes against the grain of most MPs.