Comings and goings

John Nott was always a rather highly strung character in the public imagination, but maybe that is not surprising when as Defence Secretary, you are emasculated by a woman (Margaret Thatcher) at the moment of your greatest glory (taking back the Falklands).  In an interview subsequently, Sir Robin Day memorably quipped that Nott was a "here-today-gone-tomorrow politician," following that up with a further hit to the solar plexus asking why anyone should believe what he says, something that prompted Nott to storm out of the studio live on air, the camera panning after him.  And Sir Robin was right, Nott being relieved of his duties within three months (although that was also because Nott was not seeking re-election).
Nott called his autobiography Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, not out of humility per se but to avoid it being instantly remaindered.  Now he has come out and suspended his Tory membership because of David Cameron's "poisonous" levels of debate.  Actually the prime minister is playing within himself, studiously avoiding attacking Brexit Tories directly (a 'self-denying ordinance', the PM has called it).  Given that the majority of the Conservative party is pro-Brexit and Cameron's days as leader (if not prime minister) are numbered, Nott's action seems decidedly quixotic on the face of it.  Rather I think Nott, being pro-Brexit himself, is trying to his bit to get the UK to leave the EU and it did get onto the front pages of the right-wing press, happy to bury the bad news of a high-profile defection to Remain.  Once again, the prime minister's integrity is called into question by his own side.
The Mirror went with a splash about how a Nigel Farage aide was convicted of paedophilia, the implication being that all Brexit campaigners are kiddy-fiddlers or enablers of kiddy-fiddlers.  It's a little desperate.
What was big news was Dr Sarah Wollaston, an independent-minded Tory who (according to The Guardian) is an 'influential backbencher', switching sides, leaving Leave to go with Remain.  She fired a salvo in departure, accusing (rightly) the Leave side of wilfully using lies to advance their cause - 'post-truth politics' in her words - and that the NHS was safer if Britain remained an EU member.  It may have been the case that Dr Wollaston - a self-confessed Europhile - had been a double agent all along, timing her exit from Leave to try and cause maximum damage.  Whether it will swing undecideds is another question but it may be indicative of doubts Leave leaners might have as they enter the polling booth on 23rd June.