Ministers are on resignation watch. On Friday The Telegraph reported serving pensions minister Guy Opperman had been added to a list of 64 rebels set to be hit with a post-Jubilee charm offensive. It’s also thought Penny Mordaunt could be a resignation threat given her continued showboating against various government policies – she has just sent a tweet which pointedly ignores the matter at hand. Word reaches Guido that a “bunch of malcontent remoaner ex-ministers” are calling ministers pleading with them not to support Boris, with Steve Brine accused of leading the charge. Apparently he’s sending WhatsApps to remind everyone it’s a “#SecretBallot”…

The rallying call isn’t landing with all his colleagues, however. One minister tells Guido:

“If he messages me he can f**k right off, the only reason he’s still an MP is Boris brought him back after losing the whip and now he’s trying to shaft him.”

Brine briefly lost the whip in 2019 after supporting the Benn Act. In the general election a few months later, his majority plummeted from 9,999 to 985. Another hardcore remainer with a score to settle…