So. Government announces that the key Trade and Customs Bills, which currently have pro customs union (a) amendments signed up to by 12 Tory MPs will be voted on in Commons a week on Monday and Tuesday, 4 days after Brexit White Paper due 
I was told by pro CU MPs who met PM yesterday that they would not be withdrawing the amendments to these bills. Brexiter MPs told Chief Whip not to use the idea that a majority would vote for CU as leverage for backing PM’s new third way
Worth remembering that the Taxation (Cross Border) Bill as currently written still contains a fast track power to create “a customs union” with “a territory” which ministers and Bill notes confirmed might apply to European Union... subsequently argued would only be for Jersey etc
Still remains open to ERG to try to amend this to make that legally clear - a step that was pondered by some Brexiters, who stepped back to prioritise efforts on passing the Withdrawal Bill
