WATCH: Paterson – It’s “complete nonsense, all this talk about leadership”

But he thinks “it’s a great pity [May] appeared to diverge with David Davis, whose white paper” sounds “sensible”.

Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: May gives a forced laugh, Johnson looks despondent

Corbyn meanwhile opted out of Brexit, in the hope that the Government is making a mistake.

Garvan Walshe: To get real Brexit for Great Britain, the DUP should consent to Ulster staying in the Single Market and Customs Union

If there’s to be no border in Ireland, and Britain is to leave the Customs Union and Single Market, it follows that there must be a customs border on the Irish Sea.

Our survey’s write-in Cabinet promotion choices. Rees-Mogg, Cleverly and Mercer top the list.

Then come Redwood and Tugendhat to make up the top five. Four of the top ten have been in the Commons for less than three years.

WATCH: Paterson says Irish border issue is a “very, very small problem, if there is a will”

The former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland says there’s already a border and in all his visits “not a single person has ever said it presents a problem”.

Our survey and Brexit. Party members divide down the middle about bringing a halt to the talks.

Party member opinion on the negotiations is clearly at the harder end of the spectrum on independence and economics – though not invariably on immigration.

WATCH: Paterson says an assumption that we’re leaving the EU on WTO terms would be “prudent insurance”

He cautions against “dramatic talk” of cliff-edges and crashing out.

Lord Ashcroft’s Conference Diary: The attempt to bribe Fox with a lifetime’s supply of free sugar

Plus: Johnson’s cunning plan. Crisis? What crisis? Paterson breaks into German. And when Green was chucked over a bridge.

Profile: Tom Tugendhat, successful insurgent and a possible future Tory leader

With Rees-Mogg’s backing, how can he fail?

Howard Flight: So who’s to blame for our productivity problems? Step forward, Gordon Brown

Between 1997 and 2005, public sector spending rose from £336 billion to £517 billion a year. But its output has increased little, so its productivity has fallen dramatically.

Dealing with diesel

Government encouraged drivers to switch to it. Now some want to penalise them for doing so.

Alistair Burt: Last week, Iain Duncan Smith told his Brexit story. Here’s mine.

The script for the new relationship with the EU must be written as much by those who valued it as by those who campaigned to leave it.

Profile: Gavin Williamson, the “baby-faced assassin” who is now Chief Whip

He has seamlessly made the transition from Cameron to May.

Alex Morton: The Left builds third party support. If May can’t do so too, her government will fail.

Officials, advisers and Ministers will always need external expertise: what we need are conservative-minded experts.

Daniel Hannan: Trump’s supporters suspect that snobbish elites disdain the people. And they have a point.

Appealing for “the experts” to be put in charge might get a cheer on Question Time, but experts often get things hideously wrong.