Profile: David Lidington – the Tory loyalist diverging from his leader over Brexit. And now tipped as her successor.

At the heart of May’s operation, this staunch Conservative is now mulling potential ways to a second referendum with Labour MPs.

Drained of authority? Yes. Rudderless? Certainly. Humiliated? Absolutely. But May’s very weakness is becoming a strange strength.

She looks increasingly like the captive of pro-Remain cross-party MPs working together against the pro-Leave referendum mandate.

The 25 Conservatives who voted with Grieve to block a No Deal Brexit – or try to

Some favour a Second Referendum; others, EEA membership. But they have combined to deal the Prime Minister a second bloody blow in a single day.

Yesterday in the Commons. More opponents than supporters of the Prime Minister’s deal on the Conservative backbenchers.

That said, there was more backing for her from her party than some of today’s headlines suggest.

Stephen Greenhalgh: The truth about those water cannon

Johnson ordered them, at the request of the police. There was no indication from the Home Office that a licence would be refused.

Henry Newman: A Brexit deal isn’t certain, but it’s within reach – and it could still make it through Parliament

The process is hard and risky, but it still seems unlikely that the Labour Party would really torpedo an agreement in the last resort.

Henry Newman: A dozen reasons to unstop the backstop

It now the main issue blocking a negotiated agreement – thus risking a No Deal and potentially a harder Irish border. In short, it risks triggering the very thing it is supposed to avoid.

Daniel Hannan: Kavanaugh may be guilty. But justice demands that his confirmation should take place.

The presumption of innocence should not be some empty piety. A nasty aspect of politics is that this principle is reversed when the headlines are bad enough.

Iain Dale’s Top 100 Most Influential People on the Conservative Right

In all, there are 30 new entries in the whole list, one down on last year and two down on the 2016 record of 33.

Greig Baker: Campaigning for the 2019 local election in Canterbury is well under way

Our candidates realise we have to start early. We have regular dates set well in advance to get out on the pavement.

Andrew Gimson’s Commons sketch: the Chief Whip crouches in front of the Prime Minister

Last-minute concessions appear to have saved the Government from defeat on the EU Withdrawal Bill

Rudd quits. Who will replace her?

That’s four Cabinet Ministers gone in less than a year since the election – Michael Fallon, Priti Patel, Damian Green…and now the Home Secretary.

Ben Rochelle: Why May will still be Prime Minister in a year’s time

The Brexit negotiations and the lack of an obvious successor are likely to keep her in place at least until we leave the EU in March 2019.

May doesn’t need a First Secretary of State

The course consistent with this site’s recommendations is to appoint a more junior Cabinet Office Minister.

Our survey. Next Tory leader. As last month, Rees-Mogg leads and Gove is second.

Our take is that our panel is waiting to see what happens next, and suspending judgement as the political cycle and Brexit negotiations continue.