Theresa May's communications chief is 'hard Brexiteer' who wants to 'destroy' bid to reach compromise, ex-Tory MP claims
After resigning party whip, Nick Boles says he 'can be blunt where previously I might have been discreet'
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.A former Conservative MP has launched a scathing attack on Theresa May‘s head of communications.
Nick Boles, who dramatically quit the party after series of votes on Brexit earlier this week, accused Robbie Gibb of being “a hard Brexiter who wants to destroy the PM’s new search for a cross party compromise.”
“I am no longer a member of the Conservative Party. So I can be blunt where previously I might have been discreet,” he tweeted, before making the accusation.
Downing Street would not comment on his claims.
Mr Boles resigned from his party’s whip on the floor of the House of Commons, seconds after MPs rejected alternatives to Theresa May’s EU withdrawal deal on Monday.
“My party refuses to compromise,” he said. “I regret therefore that I can no longer sit for this party.”
He later tweeted that he would “sit as an Independent Progressive Conservative.”
The following day the Grantham and Stamford MP told the BBC: ”There are some fine people in the cabinet, genuinely, people who would have been in a cabinet in any age, but this is the worst cabinet collectively not only in my lifetime but I think probably in recorded history.”
He added that Ms May’s successor as prime minister “should not be anyone who is or has been in the cabinet” since 2017.
“None of them in my view has earned the right to lead the country after Brexit – they are all compromised by their collective failure to lead, to unite, to get behind one plan, to sell that plan, to communicate,” he said.
Explaining is decision to resign from the party, he said: “I found myself there, looking around the House of Commons, seeing that the party that was least willing to compromise... was my own. I guess that was when it snapped.”
The highly-critical remarks came after Mr Boles’ Norway-style Brexit proposal was rejected.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments