Plus: The Chief Whip’s swift transformation from Francis Urquhart to Mr Bean. And: why I can’t bring myself to vote Tory in the local elections.
Though there may have been extenuating circumstances – namely, contradictory instructions from Number Ten and the Whips respectively.
The Defence minister tells the BBC that “it is not something that we can contemplate”.
There’s no guarantee that it would return a Commons supportive of any deal that May might put before it.
She hopes to move quickly while Labour is splitting, get a quick gloss on the backstop, square the ERG with a hint of Malthouse later – and, hey presto, the deal will be done.
Plus: Collective minsterial responsibility is seeping away. Plus: A.C.Grayling, Jews, nazis, yellow stars – and Brexit Derangement Syndrome.
Also: Davidson wisely opposed ‘The Vow’ in 2014; Jones proposes special conference to decide Welsh Labour leadership election rules; and more.
The combination of crucial Brexit votes, crumbling ministerial discipline, growing grassroots discontent and a rail crisis serves to intensify pressure on Downing Street.
“Were we to have come to Parliament to say ‘this is what our intentions are’, then not only Syria but Russia itself would have responded as well.”
He sweeps home with over half the vote against an expert enthusiast, a dedicated reformer – and a hero of a terror attack on Westminster.
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.
We are providing funding to help service leavers to go to university, and scholarships for the children of those killed on duty.