Cabinet this morning - a quick thread ......
1. Meeting due to last two hours, won't be a quick nod through of the day's business
1. Meeting due to last two hours, won't be a quick nod through of the day's business
2. Some key Brexiteer MP s spent yday urging Cabinet to push May to ditch Chequers at meeting today, with dark warnings that backbenches could force her to do so later if they don't try, or don't succeed
3. But.... as one Cabinet minister says 'it's not at about Chequers at all' right now - it's all about the backstop, and what ministers are prepared to accept - how many will wear increased check btw GB + NI, and how many will accept Customs Union without a fixed end date?
4. Ministers pushing for a fixed date are asking for something that can't be given, according to No 10's thinking, because the end of an arrangement will be dependent on WHAT happens, not WHEN
5. But it's going to take quite some contortion for the PM and negotiators to find a convincing way of promising it will be up to UK, not EU to exit the arrangement and it won't, by stealth, become the status quo
6. Final thought, more important for No 10 is what happens tomorrow and Thursday in Brussels - worst case scenario is EU decides to plan for a 'no deal' summit in November - best hope is they say ok, let's get talks going again immediately, with warm message about cracking on
