Has May backed down over Brexit news?

Has "no running commentary" run out of steam?

The government has announced that it will accept Labour's idea to publish a plan, of sorts, for Brexit, before Article 50 begins the legal process of the UK disentangling itself from the EU.

Some Tory MPs were set to gang up with Labour tomorrow in a vote to force ministers to publish something, anything, about their plans for Brexit, against Theresa May's wishes.

Remember, one of the few things that we know for sure about the prime minister's plans for leaving the EU is that she does not want MPs to be able to tinker with them, scrutinise them in a meaningful way, before she actually gets to the negotiating table.

So has she just backed down? In pure terms, yes. Labour's Keir Starmer, the party's Brexit spokesman, will claim victory. And by accepting Labour's idea, ministers have been pushed to do something they been intent on avoiding - promising to publish their intentions before the technical legal process begins.

'Published'

But what will that actually look like? So far, so vague. Accepting the amendment does not mean they have promised to do anything in particular.

Number 10 sources say they have not committed to publishing anything specific - a Green Paper, a White Paper, or frankly, even Theresa May's shopping list.

They say she has always said she would update the Commons and the public, as and when it was possible, without damaging her negotiating strategy.

They also have not given any promise on when they might publish whatever that is. And in theory, sources point to the fact that all the public comments the prime minister has made so far on Brexit have been "published", as in , she uttered the words, and then they appeared in the newspapers, online or on the TV or radio.

Ministers are also trying to turn the tables on Labour and the potential rebels, amending the Labour motion MPs will vote on tomorrow to back Theresa May's timetable to get the ball rolling by the end of March.

This may well be enough to avoid an embarrassing defeat in the Commons tomorrow, but will not sate MPs' growing desire for the government to be more forthcoming about its plans. And it makes no difference to the government's determination to avoid a vote in Parliament before the Article 50 process begins.

This fight might have been delayed, but it hasn't disappeared.

PS In other news, you might be pleased to hear that "Brexit means Brexit" appears to have been retired. In its place from the prime minister's lips today: "Red, white and blue Brexit" No idea? No, me neither. Answers on a postcard.