MORE CONFUSION - THIS TIME FROM BAKER

Last week David Davis did not seem sure if there was to be single treaty or multiple treaties between the EU and the UK, changing his mind in the 24 hours between his appearance in front of the Brexit committee and being called back to parliament to explain to MPs what he meant by suggesting a vote in the House on the EU deal might not take place until after we had left (HERE).

DELAYS TO THE WITHDRAWAL BILL

As if Mrs May didn't have enough problems, with the EU set to confirm on Friday that the talks are at deadlock, today we learn (HERE) that the withdrawal bill is to be delayed over fears that Tory rebels will vote against it. Brexit is beginning to look like Maastricht in reverse. With the Maastricht treaty it was Eurosceptics who harried the government for weeks as John Major tried to get the bill through parliament. Now it's the Europhiles attempting to delay and block a government bill.

DOMINIC GRIEVE

Tory rebels have forced a rethink by the government on the number of bills that will eventually be needed to carry through the withdrawal process. This adds more complexity to something that is already extremely complicated. What interested me though is the contribution of Dominic Grieve according to this article HERE. The former Attorney General thinks all the different pieces of primary legislation will need to be pulled together in a final piece of what he calls "wrap" legislation.

WITHDRAWAL BILL DELAY

Sky News (HERE) say Conservative rebels have forced the government to delay sending the withdrawal bill to committee stage because of their potential support for some of the 300 or so amendments and 54 new clauses. It will not go to the Committee stage next week as planned.

SNP TO BLOCK REPEAL BILL

The Scottish government has issued a memorandum (HERE) in the Scottish parliament advising MSPs to block the EU Withdrawal Bill. The devolved administrations will have to consent to the bill when it comes before them because it affects the devolved powers.

WITHDRAWAL BILL 2nd READING PASSED

The government got the vote they wanted last night and the EU Withdrawal bill passed it's second reading with a majority of 36 (HERE). There were seven Labour rebels and Ken Clarke abstained. Critics are said to have warned the government that changes will need to be made at the committee stage in order for it to pass into law so we remain to see what those will be.

DAVIS STATEMENT TO THE HOUSE

David Davis made a statement and answered questions in the House yesterday. His statement comes as Labour confirm it will put a three line whip on their MPs to vote against the EU Withdrawal Bill. I am not sure how Labour hope to block the bill by voting against it at second reading since I don't think they have the support of enough Conservative rebels to make this even a faint possibility. Anna Soubry, one of the most vociferous Conservative rebels, said on Radio 4 this morning that she had told the PM she would not be opposing the Bill on second reading.

DOMINIC CUMMINGS - AGAIN - & THE REPEAL BILL

Mr Cummings has again take to twitter to attack the government's approach to the Repeal Bill and David Davis in particular (HERE). He is exercised by clause 9 of the Repeal Bill which he believes gives Henry VIII powers for the government to "ditch almost entire bill via agreement with EU". I don't know if this is true or not but clause 9 of the Repeal Bill (HERE) says this:

HENRY VIII - STILL HAUNTING US

Henry VIII came to the throne in 1509 but still seems to be haunting us today. He had rather a liking for legislating by proclamation, bypassing parliament and deciding laws by himself, a provision which governments continue to use as a convenient way of ministers altering laws without the bother of asking parliament. This is slightly extraordinary in a modern parliamentary democracy but is tolerated because it's convenient for minor changes to the law.