Last night in Berlin, Angela Merkel made surprisingly positive noises towards a surprisingly diplomatic Boris Johnson, that surprised even Number 10 in their warmth. Despite this morning the PM’s team playing down their significance, Merkel told a press conference yesterday that:

“I see possibilities… It was said we will probably find a solution in two years, we can maybe find it in the next 30 days.”

Insiders are not expecting today’s “working lunch” with Emmanuel Macron to go anywhere like as smoothly, already briefing the meeting will be “frank”, a diplomatic word for frosty. The French President told reporters last night  “Renegotiation of the terms currently proposed by the British is not an option that exists, and that has always been made clear by President Tusk.” Good cop bad cop…

Former Brexit Secretary David Davis told the Today Programme this morning that he recognises the thirty day timetable as an important timeframe as the UK Government does not expect serious crunch discussion until the end of September, after it can be proved to the EU that Parliament cannot stop No Deal. As long as Parliament doesn’t stop Number 10 holding its strong line, the Government expects the EU to properly engage until Conference recess towards the end of next month…