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PMQs: Blue on blue tussle over Brexit deal
Prime minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister's Questions Photo: PA - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
With Theresa May teetering on the edge, Jeremy Corbyn was handed the perfect opportunity to underline her weaknesses in the House of Commons.
But the question which sent a real chill down the prime minister's spine came from Tory Brexit ultra Peter Bone.
The cheerleader of the Conservative's rebellious right and leading European Research Group member made his views painfully clear as ashen faces stared blankly ahead from the front bench.
READ: Corbyn joins opposition leaders to call for 'meaningful' Brexit vote
He said: 'If the media reports about the EU agreement are in any way accurate you are not delivering the Brexit people vote for and today you will lose the support of many Tory MPs and millions of voters across the country.'
Theresa May tussling with Jeremy Corbyn in the House of Commons Photo: PA - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Her answer was, perhaps understandably, anodyne. It might not be a shock for the ERG to be lobbing bricks at the deal, but nonetheless this will have stung.
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To get her deal though parliament, if she cannot twist the DUP's arms, May needs to win over swathes of the ERG. At this moment it is not looking good.
May and Corbyn performed their regular dance around each other. Of late PMQs is becoming rather predictable: Corbyn fakes outrage, May lists things that are wrong with Labour, Corbyn demands she answers the question, May lists great things Tories have done.
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Corbyn's inability to cause such a weak prime minister any lasting damage during these exchanges should be of real concern to Labour.
For May this was not the biggest hurdle she will have to clear today. She will be far more worried about the tough questions her own cabinet is planning to ask her than anything Corbyn could.
Verdict: Corbyn 0, May 0, ERG 1
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