Joseph Knight looks at what to expect over the next fortnight.

Cabinet disputes over the UK’s future customs relationship with the EU intensified this week, as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson penned an article for The Telegraph, calling for the UK to come “completely” out of the Customs Union. This follows fears from some Brexiteers about the Prime Minister’s customs ‘backstop’, which would keep the entirety of the UK within the Customs Union after the end of the transition period in 2020 if no alternative way had been found to prevent a hard border on the Island of Ireland. Some fear this could be used to keep the UK in the Customs Union indefinitely, with prominent Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg joining the Foreign Secretary in reiterating his opposition to the Customs Union over the weekend. Expect the feuding to continue over the coming weeks as the Government finally decides its official position on future customs relations, expected as part of a substantial Brexit policy document scheduled for release before the EU Council Summit at the end of June.

Meanwhile, Labour dealt with its share of internal conflict. Moderate-backed Janet Daby won the selection as Labour’s candidate in the forthcoming Lewisham East by-election, to be held on 14 June. She beat off organised opposition from candidates backed by Momentum and Unite to win a convincing 63% of first round votes.

Ian McKenzie, the moderate Secretary of the local party who backed Daby’s selection, was subsequently suspended from the party after left-wing commentator Owen Jones uncovered comments he had made online in 2015. The fight now moves to Labour’s powerful National Executive Committee, with nominations opened for the nine candidates chosen by local parties. Both moderate and left-wing groupings within the party are standing a number of candidates on two separate slates.