Presumably reunions, like Christmas drinks and karaoke nights, are now frowned upon at Westminster. Even less popular, one would have thought, are friendly cross-party reunions of MPs. But that didn’t stop the organisers of Tuesday’s rebellion against Covid passes from organising an extraordinary gathering. And by all accounts, a smashing time was had by all.

The venue was the No lobby of the House of Commons. Drinks, as far as we know, were not served (but who knows what photographic evidence to the contrary may emerge in the near future). 

The occasion in question was a get-together of old friends, on the far-Left of Labour and the mainstream of the Conservative party, to rebel against Covid passports. 

In previous decades, these same people have found common cause in opposing the New Labour governments. Their numbers included Labour MPs — and also Jeremy Corbyn — who would regularly, frequently and happily walk through the division lobby in protest at whatever the then government was trying to do. 

To the likes of Corbyn and his comrades in the Campaign Group of Labour MPs (Corbyn was considered a Labour MP at the time; that’s how long ago this was), the pink slip sent out by the government whips’ office each week was no more than a handy device for jotting down that week’s grievance, and maybe a few inspirational quotes from Che Guevara.

Week after week, those Labour MPs would join with the official opposition and vote against Tony Blair, the leader who had got them elected to parliament in the first place. Their cause was greater than mere party allegiance, they told themselves. Socialism, not a Labour government, was the goal. They were joined in this endeavour, of course, by the likes of David Cameron, Iain Duncan Smith and John Redwood.

Naturally, time spent in the trenches with other combatants tends to encourage friendly relations. It was a bit like the Christmas Day truce on the Western Front in 1914, except when fighting resumed, the Campaign group didn’t return to their own trenches, at least not until after the war ended and Labour returned to their natural position on the opposition benches, which is where Corbyn and co. always felt more comfortable anyway.

Not all of the eight Labour MPs (plus Corbyn) who voted against the Labour whip last night were veterans of the old wars. Most of them have never known what it’s like to be in government, and we must presume they’re grateful for that. Had the likes of Clive Lewis and Rebecca Long-Bailey been MPs in that period, we may be certain they would have joined Diane Abbott and John McDonnell in their repeated journeys through the lobbies in defiance of the then Labour government. One can only imagine these young whippersnappers sitting at McDonnell’s feet asking him to regale them with exciting stories about how he refused to capitulate to the Northern Ireland peace process.

We do not know what friendly hugs and handshakes were exchanged in the No lobby last night, what reminiscences were shared of the good old days when far-Left and centre-Right made common cause. 

Did the Labour and Conservative rebels even have a similar agenda last night? Not exactly. What irked Corbyn and his colleagues who still have the Labour whip was not so much the introduction of Covid passports for various venues (although they seem to be no fans of that particular initiative) as the threat of forcing all NHS staff to be vaccinated against Covid.

On the face of it, this objection, especially for Labour MPs, is an odd one. And if you scratch the surface and dig down a few more feet, it remains just as odd. Why would people who claim to love the NHS more than their closest relatives cavil at the prospect of protecting vulnerable patients from the self-indulgence of nurses who watch too many YouTube videos about the link between AstraZeneca and 5G masts?

Are any of those Labour MPs who voted against compulsory vaccination for Covid on the record for having opposed the existing rule that some NHS staff, particularly those involved in surgery, are already obliged to get vaccinated against hepatitis B? Or do Corbyn and co. believe there should be one rule for the highest paid people (consultants) and another one for cleaners?

But such inconsistencies are small beer compared to the rather more notable practice of voting alongside those you claim are your fiercest opponents. That experience is, presumably, less traumatic for Labour MPs today than it should have been during the years of a Labour government. After all, last night, they were all voting against the policy of a Conservative government, something the Campaign Group are only slightly less enthusiastic about than voting against a Labour one.

It must have been more worrying for the mass of Conservative MPs to find themselves in a small room with the fringe of the Labour Party. Didn’t that make some of the more sensible ones think twice about who they were keeping company with?

Still, it’s all part of the game. It will give a future generation of MPs, from both sides, something to discuss with the veterans of cross-party co-operation the next time any government of whatever colour does something to justify another get-together in the No lobby.

And the best thing, from the Labour rebels’ point of view, about last night? They lost! Another glorious defeat for the self-righteous battalions. Another badge of pride. All that was missing, the only thing that would have made the night a perfect one, enough comrades to start a sing-song, and for someone to throw the Royal Mace around a bit. Still, as reunions go, it was a tremendous success.