A Labour MP took me to one side last night and gave me the Labour whipping instructions for today.

They are on a three line whip to ‘attend’ the chamber. They still have a free vote once they get there, however, that counts for little.

The Labour whips were all over the place yesterday herding MPs into the right lobby. To the annoyance of many Labour MPs.

Two thirds of Labour MPs never vote on abortion.

They will wander into the lobby tonight and ask the nearest Labour whip “which way”,  they will be directed straight towards the 24 lobby.

Gordon Brown stuck his neck out on 24 weeks, why? A ridiculous thing for a Prime Minister to do if he were entering into the spirit of his MPs having a free vote.

He desperately needs the 24 week limit to remain, if it doesn’t, he will be shown to have no leadership. Not a good thing to happen two days before wipe out in Crewe and Nantwich.

I hope that Labour MPs have the moral courage tonight to vote the way the people who elect them want them to vote, time will tell.