Since the Government believes the Yellowhammer leak details are out of date, it should publish an up-to-date assessment as soon as possible.
There are four possible approaches he could take on Brexit. Not all of them lead to success.
There are real, viable answers to this sticky problem. But rebuilding trust may be as hard as resolving technical questions.
Gove, Stewart and perhaps others too could see their standing and prospects damaged this afternoon.
Plus a sixth, less formal, question: are they ridiculous?
A basic problem remains unaltered – that there is no Commons majority for a No Deal Brexit. This point has been well made by Ann Widdecombe.
New polling for Open Europe shows that the Tories have special reason to be wary of this consequence of a long extension.
Precisely because it would be a rather unnecessary addition to the current deal, it is hard to argue that the proposal would be a disaster for Brexit.
It would be dangerous for UK business and would leave both Leavers and Remainers dissatisfied. It would leave Britain subject to free movement.
It is still possible to find a landing zone that would be acceptable for the EU and to Eurosceptics.
Even if the Exchange of Letters were viewed as just short of a treaty, it would be far from legally worthless.
The process is hard and risky, but it still seems unlikely that the Labour Party would really torpedo an agreement in the last resort.
Cox told the Cabinet that the EU’s admittance that the backstop can be temporary was a step forward. He is right, although the devil will be in the detail.
Wages are growing at their fastest rate for ten years, and employment is at a near-record high. But qualifications are necessary…
The key question now for Conservative MPs is whether they can support the UK being trapped in a customs union – and the dismemberment of the Union itself.