What a vile, contemptible nasty campaign this has become. While the nation mourns in stunned collective grief with the family of Jo Cox some Brexiteers are moaning that this is somehow unfair to their cause. Just how low can these people sink? Is there nothing sacred, good or decent that cannot be twisted? I haven’t a clue what will happen on Thursday but the polling evidence suggests that the immigration issue was a bit of a dead cat bounce and people are now more concerned about the effect on the economy and jobs if we leave. Brexiteers may wash their hands of the appalling posters involving assault weapons, beaten up pensioners and huddles of destitute refugees fleeing famine torture and death, but they are smugly taking advantage of the ordure of hatred and fear that is fertilising the black shoots of nationalism. What has happened to our tolerance, our decency, our Britishness? All I see is the red raged, contorted faces of primal anger. Can’t civilised and thoughtful men like Gove realise what destructive forces they have unleashed? At the Brexit rally today the crowds were whipped into a frenzy denouncing the IMF and the OECD as some sort of EU Quislings. Take control? The Brexiteers have lost control and are being carried by a torrent of toxic waste towards polling day.

Whether we leave or stay the Tory party is being hijacked by the far right. If we leave the punishment squads will roam the corridors of power. And if we stay the plotting will begin to install Cameron’s successor. God knows what crazed loon they will try and foist on us. Oh, so you think that I am exaggerating do you? Well, just you wait and see who the commentators of the right will be supporting. I spoke to one the other day and mentioned in glowing terms the candidacy of Theresa May. A look of disgust passed over his face. She, of course, is a traitor. Post referendum day the chancers, greasers and Meerkats of the back benches will be sniffing the air for advantage. And everything will be looked though the prism of Brexit and what part they played in the war.

So this is not the end or the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning of a war to shape the future of the Tory party. Do we want to be run by the likes of Sir Phillip Green, the usual selection of spread betters and barking mad city men who put the I into SPIV, or decent moderates who really want to give opportunities to every member of society rich or poor.

So let the 23 June be Independence Day. The day we take back control. Of the Conservative Party.