Grayling tests Tory EU truce

Forget last week's carefully constructed instructions from Number 10, the private disagreements in the cabinet over Europe have now gone public.

The leader of the House of Commons, Chris Grayling, has made it abundantly clear that the chances of him voting to stay in the EU are about the same as the chances of David Cameron inviting Jeremy Corbyn along the next time he and Samantha pop down to Cornwall.

Grayling is careful to say that he supports the prime minister's efforts to change our relationship with the rest of the EU. But his clear implication is that he will not just vote to leave, but will take a prominent role in the campaign for exit. No question, this will test the truce Number 10 had hoped would last until the negotiations with the rest of the EU were complete.

It's clear several other cabinet ministers, perhaps as many as seven, share Mr Grayling's view.

Whether they are ready to follow him and go (almost) public is another matter.

But less than a week after they were published, at least one cabinet minister is already bending the rules.