Brexit Secretary David Davis and two junior ministers have dramatically quit the Government, in a huge blow to Prime Minister Theresa May’s authority.
In his resignation letter Davis told May “the current trend of policy and tactics” is making it “look less and less likely” that the UK will leave the customs union and single market.
Davis’ departure was followed by that of Brexit ministers Steve Baker and Suella Braverman, in what was a bombshell move late on Sunday night.
It signals a clear threat to the PM’s leadership after a backbench revolt over May’s Chequers plan grew over the weekend.
The PM was said to have secured her Cabinet’s backing to negotiate a softer version of Brexit during a crunch meeting at May’s country retreat last week.
But barely two days after the supposed peace deal between frontline Brexiteers and Remainers was brokered, May has lost three key negotiators.
The resignations is likely to embolden hardline Tory rebel MPs. Key Leave influencer Jacob Rees-Mogg, chair of the Eurosceptic European Research Group, hit out at “defeatism” and confirmed on Sunday that he would vote down any deal based on the Chequers plan.
Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns, who quit a junior government role earlier this year to “fight for Brexit” and has threatened to vote against May on a Brexit deal, tweeted her approval of Davis’ resignation.
Conservative MP Henry Smith appeared also to support Davis’ stance.
Brexiteer Tory MP Peter Bone supported David Davis’ decision to quit just days after crunch talks at the Prime Minister’s Chequers summit.
“David Davis has done the right thing, a principled and brave decision,” he said.
“The PM’s proposals for a Brexit in name only are not acceptable.”
The move comes on the eve of a major test for the Prime Minister as she faces first the House of Commons and then a potentially stormy meeting of Tory MPs and peers on Monday.
May was expected to tell MPs that the strategy agreed on at Chequers is the “right Brexit” for Britain.
Ian Lavery, chair of the Labour Party, said: “This is absolute chaos and Theresa May has no authority left.
“The Prime Minister is in office but not in power. She cannot deliver Brexit and our country is at a complete standstill, while the Tories indulge in their leadership tussling. “We can’t go on like this. Britain needs a functioning Government.”
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