Enter – or rather exit – the Spartans

A dedicated band of Conservative pro-Brexit holdouts stands ready to perish rather than let May’s deal pass.

The 75 Conservative MPs who opposed the Prime Minister’s deal

Mostly ERG-aligned Leavers – but roughly ten former Remainers, a core of whom now back a second referendum.

The defectors are wrong. The Conservatives aren’t shifting to the right. They are mired in the mixed middle.

No less than the ERG, the group of three sees everything through the prism of Brexit – which, let it not be forgotten, they voted to support themselves.

WATCH: Truss on Chope – “I was absolutely appalled. I’m going to speak to him this week. I want to see him change his mind.”

She says that she wants to win him round to her point of view, and doesn’t approve of the current deselection mania.

The Moggcast. “There clearly is a Brexit dividend” but “the IFS and the Bank of England carry on with Project Fear”

Rees-Mogg argues “the upskirting ban should have been a Government Bill” from the outset, not left to backbenchers. Plus: is he watching the World Cup?

Nicky Morgan: Chope’s upskirting ban veto, and no-deal hard Brexiteers – fellow travellers in the campaign to wreck modernisation

It says it all, really, that an older male Tory MP should object to outlawing a sexual crime which makes use of twenty-first century technology.

The Government must share the blame for the fall of the ‘upskirting’ ban

That a group of Tory MPs routinely block Private Members Bills is well known. Why did ministers allow this law to proceed in that vulnerable way?

Ben Roback: British politics is sliding towards America’s new tribal norm

From the politicisation of committees and the near-deification of Corbyn to the absurd ‘fake news’ row over ‘Hatgate’, the parallels are troubling.

Honours for Tory MPs but not Tory donors

Sir Graham Brady, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Dame Cheryl Gillan, and Sir Chris Chope gain well deserved recognition.

Brexit Select Committee election result – Whittingdale, Rees-Mogg, Bone and others elected

A vocal Brexiteer, a vocal critic of the Government’s plans, and two newly-elected MPs (Simon Clarke and Vicky Ford) were unsuccessful in the race.

Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Corbyn gives voice to his conservative instincts

The Labour leader spoke out against change, and made David Cameron sound like a management consultant.

Why is Hammond never available to take difficult Commons statements on Europe?

There were 26 critical questions from Conservative backbenchers on the Government’s EU referendum leaflet yesterday and 5 supportive ones.

The Conservative MPs who rebelled on Sunday Trading

Twenty five Tory MPs joined Labour and the SNP in opposing liberalisation, and provided the Government’s margin of defeat.

From Reggie to Dessie: The Chancellor’s Vicar on Earth, G.Hands, and His Cup Bearer, M.Hancock, are bringing in penitents to the Presence

Therese Coffey carried out young Gavin Williamson, the PM’s ADC, who was tired and emotional, in a fireman’s lift. He hasn’t been seen since.

From Reggie to Dessie: Anne Milton, Soames, gender fluidity…and poppers

Also: Britain Stranger in Europe. Leagues of Empire Loyalists in Kettering. Elliott and Coates in bars and bogs. Plus: Donald Tusk or is it Trump?