He wonders why it is that Thornberry, his usual jousting partner, is not being allowed to stand in for Corbyn this week.
A Prime Minister might, in the autumn, ask the Queen to prorogue Parliament until the day after exit is legally due on 31 October.
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.
This Brexit Parliament has rejected every Brexit option – hard or soft. The only people who can now decide are the public themselves.
The EU has already opened the door to starting discussions about such alternative arrangements the minute that the Withdrawal Agreement is approved.
Our system needs a means of ensuring that a Remain Parliament honours a Leave referendum – and that this principle is applied more broadly.
She replies: “I think you know the answer to that.”
Despite a three-line whip, only 133 Tory MPs actually voted with the Government. Several members of the Cabinet did not vote.
Their latest plan is to push through in a single day legislation which would involve major constitutional changes.
We refer, of course, to Letwin – the Prime Minister In All But Name. Not because he’s making a mess of things. But because, unlike others, he’s unaccountable.
There is nobody else running in this contest who understands the EU quite as well as Andrea does.