He learned at Westminster Council and City Hall the politics of persuading people to agree.
There is no Commons majority for no deal, for a Canada deal mark two, or at the moment for a second referendum. But there is a majority for EFTA/EEA.
All but one of the current team has been appointed since May became Prime Minister. What institutional memory are they supposed to draw on?
The presence of four Labour Leavers helped the UK to avoid a customs union – but their absence on a more minor amendment produced a Government defeat.
And most EU member states haven’t spent nearly enough time really thinking what the future relationship between the UK and EU should look like, either.
“I’m not saying that there would be an organised push, but the letters would just go in to Graham Brady,” one senior pro-Leave backbencher told this site yesterday.
The MP for Sutton and Cheam will have his work cut out to reconnect the Tories to a city which some fear could become their “next Scotland”.
Some would-be rebels switched sides at the last minute, while at least three others abstained.
“I’ve never voted against my Party in my life. We’re going through a normal part of the Bill process… I have strongly held views on certain things.”
Clarke, Grieve, Morgan, Soubry, Neill, Stephen Hammond, Wollaston, Sandbach and Lefroy back major changes to the Bill (as do some Brexiteers)