The Prime Minister will travel to Lancashire today in a forlorn bid to promote the Tories’ local election campaign.
Labour’s big announcement is a promise to reverse the cuts to 3,000 bus routes .
The Conservatives and parts of the metropolitan media would be wise not to scoff at Jeremy Corbyn for championing buses.
They are by far the most popular form of public transport, carrying three times more travellers than rail yet receive far less coverage.
Outside of London fares are ridiculously expensive (a single fare in the capital is £1.50 compared to £3.50 for an off peak ticket in outer Birmingham) and services are often unreliable.
Labour’s understanding of such bread and butter issues may not be as exciting to the media as Farage’s cavorting with Ann Widdecombe but they will to resonate with voters.
Indecisiveness is becoming the new British disease.
Not only is there no consensus on Brexit, Tory MPs appear unable to agree how to get rid of Theresa May.
The Conservatives’ 1922 committee last night rejected changing the rules to allow another leadership challenge but called on the PM to set out a clear timetable for her departure should she fail to get her withdrawal agreement through the Commons.
(Spoiler alert: at the moment she can’t).
It is difficult to think of a precedent for when a Prime Minister has been so deeply unpopular with his or her own party but refuses to resign.
Her predicament is entirely down to Brexit.
Rattled by Farage’s Brexit Party the Conservative rank and file has become convinced the only route to salvation lies in delivering a hard Brexit.
They either hanker for a no deal Brexit or cling to the illusion that the Malthouse compromise, which has as much chance of flying as an elephant with a pair of fairy wings, is the way forward.
The first would damn the Conservatives to a generation out of power once voters become aware of the economic carnage that will ensue.
Nor will it resolve Brexit as the EU has made clear its first demand when it comes to negotiating a trade deal will be restoration of the withdrawal agreement.
The second is based on the fantasy that the EU is willing to reopen the negotiations in order to facilitate a deal that fails to resolve the Irish backstop.
You almost feel sorry for Theresa May that her party has become infected by ideologues until you realise that it was her failure to confront such specious arguments that has led to so many members of her party putting wild faith before reality.
Ministers are demanding a leak inquiry following the briefing of a decision by the National Security Council to approve Huawei’s role in the development of 5G infrastructure .
As a rule journalists rarely disapprove of leaks but you can understand the concern if issues of national security are being briefed to the press by Cabinet ministers seeking to enhance their leadership prospects (or do down their rivals).
At stake is a bigger issue: how Brexit Britain navigates a course between the two superpowers of China and the United States without damaging alliances at the expense of economic opportunities.
Today's agenda:
9.30am - Liam Fox takes International Trade questions
10am - Women and Equalities questions.
10.30am - Andrea Leadsom gives the weekly update on House of Commons business.
11am - Brexit Party launch in Manchester.
12pm (approx) - backbench debate on school funding.
What I am reading:
Danny Finkelstein in the Times (£) on why the Tories are facing a rocky future if they back no deal
