Inside Politics: Boris Johnson shoves no-deal Brexit back on the table

The Duchess of Cambridge has revealed one of Prince Louis’ first words was “Mary” after he recognised baking legend Mary Berry in a cookbook. She said little Louis was “fascinated” by new faces. Hate to break it to you Kate, but he’s not that special – we’re all fascinated by them. A brand new set of faces will be on show when MPs are sworn in at parliament today. What can we expect from the first words of “Boris babies” (as the younger Tory arrivals have been dubbed)? Will they go along, unquestioningly, with the PM’s latest plan to put a no-deal Brexit back in play? Or could the newbies quickly develop minds of their own? I’m Adam Forrest, and welcome to The Independent’s daily Inside Politics briefing.

Our chief political commentator John Rentoul on what to look out for today:

Parliament has a back-at-school feel at the moment, with information desks for new arrivals and guides holding signs saying “Ask Me”. Today is like the first day of classes, and the first business is the election of the speaker Lindsay Hoyle. Then MPs spend the rest of the day taking the register – that is, being called to be sworn in, on the Bible or other holy book, or simply to affirm that they “will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law”. Actual parliamentary business doesn’t start until after the Queen’s speech on Thursday, so no PMQ’s tomorrow.

SACRED AND PROFANE: You just knew you could count on Boris Johnson, didn’t you? Count on him to do the worst thing at every turn, that is. His government have added a new clause to the Brexit bill – due to come before the Commons on Friday – to “legally prohibit” any further extension beyond the end of the transition period at the end of 2020. So if a trade deal can’t be done, we can look forward to a cliff-edge crash-out about this time next year. Labour’s Keir Starmer called it “reckless”. In further recklessness, the PM is also ditching amendments that would have given MPs oversight on workers’ rights. Johnson still had the nerve to claim he was doing the Lord’s work. He told the 109 new Tory MPs assembled before him it was a matter of “sacred trust” to get Brexit done. Is it any wonder Jarvis Cocker’s song C***s Are Still Running the World is making its way up the Christmas charts?

ON HER UPPERS: Johnson’s mini reshuffle turned out to be extremely small, with Simon Hart coming in as the new Welsh secretary. Nicky Morgan has been retained as culture secretary, despite standing down as an MP before the election. The PM must have been impressed with her loyalty during the campaign, because she has been handed a lifetime peerage to serve in the Lords – all rushed through in less than a day. Wait a minute – could her place in the upper house been agreed beforehand? Surely not! The Lib Dems’ Layla Moran scoffed at the “sycophancy,” while Labour’s Jo Stevens tweeted: “So now we know why Nicky was wheeled out to tell us that 31,000 [nurses] really means 50,000 and has been touring TV studios flag waving for the PM ever since.” Does Morgan care? Not a jot. She joshed: “It turns out that leaving the cabinet is harder than leaving the EU!”

SISTER ACT: Do we have a frontrunner in the Labour leadership race? The “continuity Corbyn” figure Rebecca Long-Bailey appears to have been handed a boost. It’s understood she has agreed a joint ticket with Angela Rayner, who will run for the deputy leadership instead. The pair have shared a flat in London since becoming MPs in 2015. One Labour colleague described the apparent deal forged by the flatmates as “sisterly”. Jess Philips will announced her candidacy soon, and Clive Lewis said he was “thinking” about entering the race too. Jeremy Corbyn faces a difficult meeting with Labour MPs today, and will be asked to apologise for the election defeat. But it seems the centre-lefties are cooling off on asking him to go immediately. Lord Wood, Ed Miliband’s former advisor, said he was “quite worried” things were moving too fast for people to join the party “to play a part in the next part of its history”.

HOLD ON TO YOUR KNEECAPS: Labour are still squabbling what was more crap and costly at the election: Corbyn, or Corbyn’s Brexit policy. Labour MP Wes Streeting said “there’s been a sort of knee-capping exercise by people saying ‘this is all Remain’s fault’ when it’s not.” The argument has consequences for the top Remainers hoping to stand, Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry. The latter has decided to take legal action against Caroline Flint over a claim that Thornberry described Leave voters as “stupid”. The Islington South and Finsbury MP chuckled her way through an interview announcing the instruction of solicitors, but anger seeped through in all the swearing. “People can slag me off, as long as it’s true, I can take it on the chin,” Thornberry said. “But they can’t make up s*** about me – and if they do, I have to take it to the courts.”

TELLY ADDICTS: Post-election discourse has seen many mourning the fact broadcasters have taken their cue from reality TV, amplifying the loudest, crudest voices in political debate. The new batch of Tory MPs have a strange amount of television experience. Dehenna Davison, MP for Bishop Auckland, appeared in the Channel 4 reality show Bride And Prejudice two years ago, which showed the then 24-year-old marrying a Conservative councillor 35 years her senior. Aaron Bell, MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, appeared on University Challenge in 2001 and became champion of the rebooted Krypton Factor in 2009. And Virginia Crosbie, MP for Ynys Mon. once trained dolphins with Animal Planet host Terry Nutkins at Woburn Safari Park. “One child actually jumped in before we could stop her, but she got out fine.” This lot should be naturals in the bear pit of live telly.

“All I can tell you is that you can’t go on national television and make up s*** and not expect to be taken to the courts and that’s what I’m afraid I’m having to do.”

Emily Thornberry puts her former Labour colleague Caroline Flint on notice.

“Congratulations to Nicky Morgan on her life peerage for services to lying on behalf of an utter charlatan to whom you wouldn’t have given the time of day six months earlier.”

Comedian David Schneider thinks the appointment stinks...

“Nicky Morgan’s elevation might seem like a cushy gig but she now has to respond to 82-year-olds who have concerns about the availability of online porn.”

...but The Times’ Esther Webber points out that life in the Lords is not so very wonderful.

Peter Mandelson, The Independent: The infighting will be vicious and the journey will be long – but Labour has to reconnect with the public

Karl Eastham, The Independent: Here’s how Labour can rebuild the red wall – starting with my hometown

Nesrine Malik, The Guardian: We must learn to talk to Leave voters without falling into the Clinton trap

Michelle Goldberg, The New York Times: On Tuesday, march for impeachment