Dominic Raab quits as Brexit secretary over withdrawal deal

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Guardian

Dominic Raab has resigned as Brexit secretary, saying he “cannot in good conscience” support the deal agreed by cabinet, plunging Theresa May’s Brexit plans into confusion.

The departure of Raab, seen as a crucial figure in May’s attempts to sell her proposed deal to other Brexit-minded Tory MPs, follows the resignation earlier on Thursday of the junior Northern Ireland minister, Shailesh Vara.

In his resignation letter Raab said the proposed arrangement to avoid a border with Northern Ireland through a backstop arrangement is a “very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom”.

He added: “I cannot support an indefinite backstop arrangement where the EU holds a veto over our ability to exit.”



Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/15/dominic-raab-quits-as-brexit-secretary-over-eu-withdrawal-deal

---

Plus, in the last few minutes:

Esther McVey follows Raab in resigning from cabinet over Brexit deal

Link to tweet

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2018/nov/15/brexit-deal-theresa-may-takes-agreement-to-parliament-politics-live

That last link is the Guardian's live updates for politics page - it'll move very fast today. Link to this particular entry: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2018/nov/15/brexit-deal-theresa-may-takes-agreement-to-parliament-politics-live?page=with:block-5bed4463e4b0772932e20256#block-5bed4463e4b0772932e20256

And from junior posts, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Suella Braverman, and, earlier, Shailesh Vara.

[demmiblue]

1. K&R (that live update feature is handy)

[Eugene]

2. New headline at link: McVey and Raab quit as May addresses MPs over Brexit deal

McVey and Raab quit as May addresses MPs over Brexit deal

Junior ministers Suella Braverman and Shailesh Vara also quit, as government is thrown into turmoil

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/15/dominic-raab-quits-as-brexit-secretary-over-eu-withdrawal-deal

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Jacob Rees-Mogg sends letter of no confidence in May

The leading Brexiter Jacob Rees-Mogg has called for a vote of no confidence in Theresa May on the most perilous day of her premiership, after claiming she has broken her own red lines on Brexit.

The outspoken chair of the European Research Group (ERG) of Tory Brexiters, who rejected the prime minister’s plan moments after it was published on Wednesday night, announced he was submitting a letter to the chair of the backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady.

Up to a dozen other Tory backbenchers have confirmed they have submitted letters calling for May to step down over her Brexit proposal, including the former Brexit minister Steve Baker and fellow leavers Nadine Dorries and Andrew Bridgen.
...
If Brady receives 48 such letters, he is obliged to trigger a confidence vote. Downing Street confirmed on Thursday that May would contest such a vote and expected to remain prime minister until the Brexit process is complete.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/15/jacob-rees-mogg-to-send-letter-of-no-confidence-in-may

May has just held a press conference outside Downing Street, which boiled down to "I'm not going anywhere". Rees-Mogg is a stereotypical upper-class wanker, who has always been for the hardest Brexit possible and thus gets support from the extreme Brexiteers, despite him having no governmental experience at all (an indication that his fellow Tories think he's impossible to work with).

[Ghost Dog]

4. We are prepared for Britain to cancel Brexit, says EU president

The EU is prepared for Britain to cancel Brexit, the president of the European Council has said.

Speaking in Brussels after a day of turmoil in Westminster, Donald Tusk said a “no-Brexit scenario” was still on the cards and that the EU would be ready for it...

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-deal-live-update-latest-theresa-may-press-conference-cabinet-resignations-rees-mogg-gove-raab-a8635516.html