Brexit deal: Theresa May defends EU agreement in press conference after flurry of cabinet resignations
MPs react to May's statement and ministerial resignations
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May has been forced to defend her Brexit plan to MPs just moments after cabinet ministers Dominic Raab and Esther McVey dealt her authority a major blow by resigning from the government.
The prime minister secured the uneasy support of her cabinet for the draft deal with Brussels after a stormy five-hour meeting on Wednesday night.
Ms May also faces the growing prospect of a vote of no confidence in her leadership of the Conservative Party, as MPs, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, began publishing their letters sent to the party's 1922 committee - calling for the PM to step down.
See below for updates as they happened
Good morning and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of everything Brexit.
↵ Theresa May is already facing crises on numerous fronts, the first being the threat of a raft of resignations after Brexit secretary Dominic Raab quit on Thursday morning.
The pound fell heavily against most major currencies after Mr Raab's resignation. Sterling dropped 1.1% to 1.28 US dollars and was 1.2% lower at 1.13 euros.
Northern Ireland minister Shailesh Vara has quit the government in protest at Theresa May‘s Brexit deal, which he claimed would leave the UK in a “half-way house” outside the EU.
More here:
Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has resigned from Theresa May's government within hours of her cabinet approving an agreement to leave the EU.
Announcing his departure on Twitter, he said: "Today, I have resigned as Brexit Secretary. I cannot in good conscience support the terms proposed for our deal with the EU."
Mr Raab's dramatic resignation will plunge Ms May's leadership into fresh crisis, and comes less than an hour after Northern Ireland minister Shailesh Vara also decided to quit in protest at her Brexit deal.
It also follows widespread speculation that furious Conservative MPs could topple Ms May by submitting enough letters of no-confidence to trigger a leadership challenge.
In his resignation letter, Mr Raab said: "I cannot support the proposed deal for two reasons. First, I believe that the regulatory regime proposed for Northern Ireland presents a very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom.
"Second, I cannot support an indefinite backstop arrangement, where the EU holds a veto over our ability to exit. The terms of the backstop amount to a hybrid of the EU customs union and single market obligations.
"No democratic nation has ever signed up to be bound by such an extensive regime, imposed externally without any democratic control over the laws to be applied, nor the ability to decide the exit arrangement.
Considering we're on resignation watch this morning - after two cabinet ministers have resigned from the government over Theresa May's deal - this is raising many eyebrows in Westminster.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments