At the end of last year, Mr Steerpike was somewhat sceptical that it was a good idea to invite an ITV film crew into the whips’ office, as Theresa May headed for a defeat of historic proportions on the first vote on her Brexit deal. When Chief Whip Julian Smith failed to convince the backbencher Philip Davies to back the deal, live on camera, this only seemed to confirm that it wasn’t exactly the best decision:
ITV News was granted rare access to the Chief Whip's office, as he tries to rally support for the PM's Brexit deal ahead of Tuesday's vote. We caught the argument as vocal Brexiteer Philip Davies insisted he was voting 'no' https://t.co/KHDQTdnQtApic.twitter.com/MJjE7vdaXb
Perhaps an apology is in order though. Mr S can report that although Davies did not back May’s deal first time round, last night he was finally won over and supported the Prime Minister in the voting lobby.
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It is an irony of Brexit that, since we left the EU, British politics has become more European. The local elections on Thursday will put another nail in the coffin of the two-party system that has dominated the UK for 100 years. Labour and the Conservatives now poll a combined 45 per cent of the
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