Front Bench

I hope you had a nice weekend. Perhaps, like me, you escaped the metropolitan hubbub for the peace of the countryside. That’s what plenty of Tory MPs did last week, only, rather than peace and quiet, they got it in the neck from their constituency chairmen.

Because, amid all the hullabaloo of Donald Trump’s visit, Westminster politics went on as usual (or at least, what’s usual for these bizarre times). That meant MPs heading back to their constituencies to gauge the strength of sentiment over Theresa May’s Brexit plan.

As will come as no surprise, it wasn’t all favourable. That’s made May’s top team worried – Brandon Lewis, the party chairman, and Gavin Barwell, May’s chief of staff, held a conference call with voluntary party members to gauge the mood among the grassroots.

– Enemies on all sides – ​

It’s become quite clear this morning that the Chequers deal has enemies on all sides. That’s no surprise when it comes to the Brexiteers, who are ramping up their efforts to fight it – more on that in a moment – but now prominent Remainers are making their feelings clear. Justine Greening, the former education secretary, has written in The Times to call for a second referendum that offers May’s deal, no deal, and staying in the EU to voters. She reportedly has the backing of former Cabinet colleagues Amber Rudd and Damian Green.