Andrew Gimson’s Commons sketch: Lidington is no Horatius

He defended the absent Prime Minister with decency and moderation, but neither Labour nor Conservative MPs were persuaded.

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.

Terror of No Deal is driving May to risk splitting her Party and fall back on Labour MPs instead

That’s the single fact that stands out from the “low tragedy, high farce” of resignations, splits, divisions, principles and ambitions consuming British and Brexit politics.

Andrew Green: Norway, for now or forever, isn’t the way to travel. It would mean no real control of migration from Europe.

There are indeed mechanisms for mitigating damaging immigration flows, but these are tightly constrained.

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.

WATCH: “I’m not sure there is life left in Chequers,” Morgan concedes

The search for supporters of the Prime Minister’s plan continues.

Davidson says “I will not be a candidate.” Where does the Tory left look for a leadership contender?

One can conjure up the names of former Ministers, present Ministers and backbenchers. But only one of them presently sits at the Cabinet table.

Davis, Hinds, Brokenshire, Hancock, Clark, Wright – ConHome’s full Party Conference fringe programme is now live

Speakers include eight Secretaries of State, the Mayor of the West Midlands, and many more.

Javid, Johnson, Williamson, Morgan, Street – and more. ConHome’s Party Conference programme.

We will have the ConHome marquee as usual plus another venue. Full details coming soon.

The Treasury donkey

The irony is that Hammond is appallingly placed to persuade voters that No Deal really does carry risks.

WATCH: Morgan – May is a “realist” who no longer “thinks in terms of Leave and Remain”

The former education secretary says that “the fact that the rest of do just shows the total lack of a healing process”.

Stephen Hammond’s loss and Phillip Lee’s win. Full list of Conservatives who rebelled on Trade Bill amendments.

The presence of four Labour Leavers helped the UK to avoid a customs union – but their absence on a more minor amendment produced a Government defeat.

Iain Dale: It was Phillip Lee, but could have been me

Plus: Damian Collins and his useless Select Committee shot themselves in the foot this week. Let grandstanding committee chairmen be warned.

Alex Morton: The EU negotiation. First, let’s use the velvet glove. But if that doesn’t work, the iron fist.

We need to be tough – without a deal, they should get no money from us, reduced troop levels in Eastern Europe, less help on refugee issues in the Mediterranean.

Henry Newman: Navigating the EU Withdrawal Bill through unamended without a majority is nightmarish – but possible

Labour have sunk efforts to trap us in the Single Market. A compromise should kick the Customs Union can down the road. Which leaves the ‘meaningful’ vote.