Yes I've been extremely perplexed about why he nailed his colours to this paticular mast. Whatever his motives, as absent says, he's failed and there are many battles ahead as the bill goes through all its stages which will stir everything up again. It's a gift for the right of his party who want him gone. Do you think that perhaps it is just another example of poor judgement?
I think partly he wanted to demonstrate that the Tory party is not packed with a bunch of out-of-date old fogeys – which is exactly the opposite of what he has demonstrated.