Thread by @SamCoatesTimes

Cabinet 90 mins

Theresa May indicated she would whip against amendments today (straight no to no deal, Malthouse etc)

Cabinet row ensued. Williamson, Grayling, Leadsom, Javid, Fox suggested whipping against Malthouse unwise

Remain wing led by Hammond for x-party consensus

Theresa May told that the party is coalescing around Malthouse and it would be mad to *whip* against it

Presumably whipping against Malthouse would lead to resignations, not least from Kit Malthouse

One source says they doubt the three line whip position can hold to end of day

Another source said whipping not decided. “Number 10 know they have a problem and will hopefully sort it” said a cabinet source

Ouch

If you whip against Spellman-Dromey (straight no to no deal amendment) you have to whip against Malthouse. So what do they do?

Hammond told cabinet they have to do a deal, and find a cross party solution, try out lots of options. Others in cabinet think this is just a play for customs union membership

Williamson said it would be “daft” to whip against Malthouse. He said it was “Not clever” and “it’s going to cause a lot of problems”. I’m told he also said you needed a Commons vote on EU A50 extension offer

More cabinet

Julian Smith indirectly blamed Geoffrey Cox for defeat this morning. He said if things had gone slightly differently he could potentially have got the DUP on side and lots of Tory colleagues still going on