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There seems to be no pressure from the European Union to make Boris Johnson give in on his plans to nullify the Withdrawal Agreement.
Through a video link, representatives from each of the 27 EU countries joined a meeting of the Joint Committee implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol with Michael Gove and Maros Sefcovic, Vice President of the European Commission.
Sefcovic protested. Mr. Gove replied that the the government would not back down.
The apoplexy voiced by Europe, and a fair number of other international politicians, was discounted by Downing Street when they made this move.
So it is unlikely to have much effect.
More dangerous for the Number 10 is the pincer movement of the Prime Ministerown party, as we head toward voting on the legislation starting Monday.
Even the revolt on behalf of the Tory MPs who voted for Remain is proving more complicated, led by Theresa May, Johnson’s predecessor.
Friends say he cannot support the legislation.
Conveniently, however, it is understood that she is out of the country on a long-planned trip, meaning that she will avoid the consequences of not endorsing him, which in the past included being expelled from the Conservative parliamentary party.
Many of the other rebels who would have once sided with the Remainers have avoided protesting in public, simply telling the whip boss that they cannot support what is happening.
More surprising, however, is the nature of the revolt among Brexit supporters.
Lord Howard became the third former Conservative leader, but the first to vote for Brexit, to protest in the most vehement way possible against plans to trample on international law.
He was quickly followed by former Conservative Chancellor Lord Lamont, another Brexiteer, who said the plan was impossible to support.
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Sir Bernard Jenkin of the European Research Group warned of the consequences of breaking international agreements.
Johnson is in the center of a pincer movement.
It has a solid majority of 80 members, and the DUP will vote for it. To date there have been no ministerial resignations on this issue.
However, the status and volume of rebels could still mislead the government.
Opportunely, Brexi It seems that it will be decided in the House of Commons after all.
