Tory rebels will do whatever it takes to prevent a no-deal Brexit

Wednesday is another biggish Brexit day, even though all said on Tuesday that today’s business motion opening the BIG Brexit debate is not amendable, because a bunch of Tory rebels - led by former attorney general Dominic Grieve (normally sensible) - are trying to amend it to force the PM to come up with an (amendable) NEW Brexit plan within three days if (as expected) MPs vote down her Brexit plan next Tuesday.

This is an attempt by them to stop her running down the clock and forcing a no-deal Brexit on the nation.

It is not at all clear how Mr Grieve got the amendment on order paper.

So now it is down to the the all-powerful Speaker to decide whether it can be voted on.

If the Speaker rules the amendment ultra vires or out of order, many of the Tory rebels and Labour might then choose to vote against today’s business motion, I am told.

If Labour votes with Tory rebels to vote down the business motion, then Parliament would take control of the meaningful vote debate from the Government, and decide for example that the debate could be much longer or shorter than Theresa May wants.

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It would be Parliament taking back control from the executive, from Mrs May, and would see her in office but not really in power.

It shows how Tory rebels have turned themselves into parliamentary Sandanistas to do whatever it takes to prevent a no-deal Brexit.