Tory civil war breaks out as Theresa May faces vote of confidence
3 min read
Deep Tory splits over Europe have burst into the open after Theresa May's Brexit deal left her political career hanging by a thread.
A vote of confidence in the Prime Minister is likely within days after her backbenchers reacted with fury to the proposals contained in the 585-page draft withdrawal agreement.
Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey both resigned in protest at her Brexit blueprint, as did junior ministers Shailesh Vara and Suella Braverman.
Conservative MPs also lined up in the Commons chamber to savage her blueprint, with some urging her to consider her own position.
In another blow for the embattled Tory leader, leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg announced that he had submitted a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister, increasing speculation that enough have now been sent in to trigger a formal vote.
In his letter, the European Research Group chairman said: "The draft withdrawal agreement presented to Parliament today has turned out to be worse than anticipated and fails to meet the promises given to the nation by the Prime Minister, either on her own account or on behalf of us all in the Conservative Party manifesto.
"It is of considerable importance that politicians stick to their commitments or do not make such commitments in the first place. Regrettably, this is not the situation, therefore, in accordance with the relevant rules and procedures of the Conservative Party ... this is a formal letter of no confidence in the leader."
Asked at a press conference outside Parliament who he thought should replace Mrs May, the North East Somerset MP said: "You’ve got Boris Johnson and David Davis, you’ve got Dominic Raab and Esther McVey and Penny Mordaunt. You have streams of talent within the Conservative Party who would be very capable of leading a proper Brexit."
Former Brexit minister Steve Baker also announced that he had submitted a no confidence letter, and Graham Brady, chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee, is expected to tell Mrs May later that enough have been submitted to trigger a vote.
But Mr Rees-Mogg's actions sparked an angry backlash from pro-Remain Tories, with prisons minister Rory Stewart taking to Twitter to mock his party colleague.
Foreign Office minister Alan Duncan said: "If they try and displace the Prime Minister they risk detroying the Government and perhaps, for a long time, the Conservative Party.
"Some of those in the ERG wing of the Conservative Party are being ideological and theoretical and not practical. Practical to me looks like backing the Prime Minister 100%."
In another sign of the bitterness within the Tory Party, Scottish Secretary David Mundell launched an extraordinary attack on Dominic Raab for quitting the Cabinet.
He said: "I am not taking lessons for standing up for our United Kingdom from carpet-baggers.
"Only a couple of years ago Dominic Raab was proposing to introduce a bill of rights into Scotland which would have over written the Scottish legal system and devolution. So I am not impressed by his latter day commitment to the Union. I am sure this is more about maneuvering and leadership."
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