Gove, Stewart and perhaps others too could see their standing and prospects damaged this afternoon.
He reproached the advocates of no deal for telling a fairy tale.
A run-off between him and Johnson would risk being seen as a continuation of the “psychodrama” between the two men.
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.
The former Cabinet minister, who went to prison for perjury, explains why, as a prison chaplain, he is happier than he has ever been.
It passed its Third Reading by a single vote. Now the former Labour Minister’s anti-No Deal Bill is off to the Lords.
By saying for the first time that “the Government stands ready to abide by the decision of the House”, she risks splitting her own Party.
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.
Those who voted for the former Chancellor’s motion included Tobias Ellwood, Vicky Ford and Victoria Prentis.
Progressive commentators and saloon-bar orators are wrong to condemn MPs for finding the national issue hard to settle.
It favours “a permanent customs union”, “close alignment with the Single Market” and “dynamic alignment on rights and protections”.
The Leader of the House is as cloth-eared as Jeremy Corbyn when it comes to dealing with her own backbenchers.
The list includes the three who resigned from the Government this evening – and Green, one of the Prime Minister’s oldest allies.
The proposal was rejected by 314 votes to 311. Boles, Gyimah, Spelman and Vaizey were among those to rebel. Plus Brine and Harrington.
With average household energy bills around £1000 a year, it would be a cut of about £50 per year per family.