Fresh hell for the PM, loathed by her own party members
Senior Conservative MPs today ruled not to change their party rules in order to expedite the departure of their dear leader, prime minister Theresa May.
A meeting of the 1922 committee, a body seen to represent the will and mood of the Tory parliamentary party, instead demanded a clear timetable for May's departure.
The prime minister pledged her departure from high office if the government's draft withdrawal agreement for leaving the European Union passed the Commons and Brexit negotiates progressed to their second phase.
That hasn't happened and looks unlikely in the future, ever.
The 1922's chairman, Graham Brady, called for a "clear timetable" for May's departure. In truth, his group is powerless to defenestrate her until December. After surviving a no confidence motion in December, 1922 rules prevent another contest taking place for at least 12 months.
Interesting reading, then, Conservative Home's monthly survey of Tory party members, asking them to rank the cabinet by preference.
May has slumped to the bottom of the table after a steady decline, now sitting at -73.5 net satisfaction. The poll of 1,119 members docked her a mega 22.3 points since last month.
Andrea Leadsom comes top at +52, the final challenger in the Tory leadership race post-DavCam. How long ago that seems.
Liz Truss follows on +38.1 and then Geoffrey Cox on +37.9.
Even Chris
'no ferries' Grayling ranks above the hapless prime minister, on -71.1, a slight improvement on his all-time low of -71.6.
