Fifty-three Conservatives opposed the tiering plan last December, the largest Covid-related rebellion to date.
Most of the action has been over Covid-related divisions. And most of the dissenters are from older intakes.
The Government won the division during yesterday’s consideration of the Trade Bill by 18 votes.
This rebellion had little in common with most others, but the names of many who oppose the Government now show a certain predictability.
That’s the biggest Tory revolt so far on a virus-related division, and enough potentially to defeat the Government in future.
Nineteen Conservative backbenchers spoke against the policy. It’s doubtful whether a top-down targets system will pass the Commons.
Growing anti-lockdown sentiment among northern Labour mayors and councils offer him new opportunities – and dangers.
These are early shots in the developing Tory backbench campaign against the restrictions, which are set to gain volume and velocity.
They can’t have been satisfied with the compromise reached yesterday over future votes on any changes to the Act’s provisions.
They included seven former Cabinet Ministers, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and the Chairman of the 1922 Executive Committee.
Several Ministers helped to see off the Government’s best hope of avoiding a full-on crisis in the Party – and perhaps of saving Brexit too.
It is certainly not the Brexit that people voted for. As Bill Clinton might have said about the main issue: It’s the Sovereignty, Stupid!
The first of our mini-series on the road to Brexit recalls the watershed moment when the idea entered the political mainstream.