A ray of cautious optimism was breaking out last night in the corridors and bars of Westminster among Brexit-bruised and battered loyal Conservatives.
As the motions for today’s debate on the various alternatives to Theresa May’s deal were being tabled, there appeared to be some movement from senior Brexiteers that gave confidence to Whitehall insiders that maybe, just maybe, something positive was happening.
The twitch of hope began when Jacob Rees-Mogg, the most ardent of Brexiteers appeared to blink, saying he had finally realised that, just like devolution, Brexit was a “process not an event”.
It became a flicker when David Davis, the former Brexit Secretary, suggested Theresa May now had a "reasonable chance" of getting her deal through.
And by the time the Brexiteers’ Brexiteer, Boris Johnson, also appeared to be shifting his opinion, declaring there was now an "appreciable risk that we will not leave at all," a shudder of optimism ran through the ranks of the PM’s supporters.
What, one might ask, has been responsible for this eleventh hour Damascene conversion? The so-called indicative votes.
The penny seems to have finally dropped for the ERG brigade that the so-called “Remain Parliament” has taken over and that it could soon have the power to foist a soft Brexit on the nation or, even worse for the Leavers, no Brexit at all.
Could it be that if, say, MPs voted for a Norway-style soft Brexit on Wednesday night that the Brexiteer faction would swing fully behind their embattled leaderene?
The EU offer of a May 22 extension stipulates that a deal has to be delivered this week. To have meaningful vote #3, a motion – acceptable, of course, to John Bercow, the Speaker – has to be tabled by close of play Wednesday to be debated and voted on on Thursday; the last sitting day of this week.
Yet, Tory sources were suggesting last night that a business motion could be moved by the Government for Parliament to sit on Friday to stage the PM’s “third time lucky” stab at getting her Brexit deal through.
One minister could not help note, from his point of view, the delicious irony of getting Mrs May’s deal through on the very day Britain was supposed to be leaving the EU.
But - and there is always a but with Brexit - as Mr Davis pointed out: “She's got to get the DUP onside.” One minute to midnight?
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