Early morning run and into the Commons. We remained on a three line due to some amendments coming back from the Lords on the N Ireland Bill. First-up, though, I took a long call from the new Head at Budmouth College, David Herbert. Our chat was in confidence, but I learnt a lot more about the on-going saga at the school, in particular the appointment of Aspirations Academy Trust. Back now to the NI Bill. Some diehard Remainers - Letwin, Grieve and the like - have hijacked the Bill in their attempt to prevent a future PM proroguing the House, not that anyone has said they will. The debate began at about 1300 and the normal siren voices were heard. We discovered later when the Government lost the vote by more than 40 that the ambush had been well planned. It saddened me to see a group of conspirators outside the Chamber, including long-standing members of our Party, plotting to abstain, which, in effect, was the same as voting against, as well they knew. The votes came later in the afternoon and afterwards we dropped to one line and it was time to head to Dorset. We learnt later that Chancellor Hammond had texted colleagues in an attempt to lure them to his cause. You really could not make this up.