UPDATE: Following the wave of resignations today, Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has called for a vote of no-confidence in the Prime Minister, and has submitted his own letter in the hopes of toppling the PM.

The European Research Group confirmed the move being made by Rees-Mogg, who will shortly be giving a press conference.

May's spokesman has said that she will be fighting any vote of no-confidence against her, and Downing Street have said they expect May to still be PM when the UK leaves the EU.

Theresa May walked out of a five-hour Cabinet meeting last night (November 14) to confirm that her Cabinet had backed the draft Brexit deal she had constructed, but in just a matter of hours her hopes of getting on with the job smoothly and with the support of her Conservative government have been shattered.

Theresa May in what may be described as happier times / Photo Credit: babirad/FAMOUS
Theresa May in what may be described as happier times / Photo Credit: babirad/FAMOUS

Today (November 15), the Prime Minister has faced a raft of resignations, with more expected in the coming hours and over the next few days. Here's everyone who has left their posts so far...

Shailesh Vara

The Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office, Shailesh Vara was the first to resign over the draft deal this morning, telling the BBC that he thought the UK would be left in a "half-way house".

Dominic Raab

Despite being in the position to negotiate the best deal possible for the United Kingdom during Brexit negotiations, the former Brexit Secretary has left his post saying that he cannot support the text put forward by the Prime Minister. He was the first to jump ship directly from the Cabinet.

This of course begs the question, why wasn't he right in the centre of negotiations with the EU from the start? Is there any point to having a Brexit Secretary if they're not the leading component in negotiating with the EU?

Raab said in his resignation letter that the deal proposed "presents a very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom," adding that he "cannot reconcile the terms of the proposed deal with the promises we made to the country in our manifesto at the last election".

Esther McVey

Just an hour after Raab's statement, Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey revealed she would also be quitting her post with immediate effect because of the EU withdrawal text.

McVey wrote a lengthy letter to the PM, in which she said there was "no more important task for this government than delivering on the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union." She said that the result of the referendum wasn't honoured by the deal put before the Cabinet, and noted that "it doesn't meet the tests you set from the outset of your premiership."

Her resignation concluded with the comments: "In politics you have to be true to the public and also true to yourself. Had I stayed in this government and supported this deal with the EU I wouldn't be doing that."

Suella Braverman

Fareham MP Suella Braverman sent out a tweet this morning to say that she had written her resignation letter from her post as a junior Brexit Minister, with "deep regret and after reflection".

She explained: "Throughout this process, I have compromised. I have put pragmatism ahead of idealism and understand that concessions are necessary in a negotation. I have kept faith in the ultimate destination to justify an uncomfortable journey. However I have reached a point where I feel that these concessions do not respect the will of the people - the people who put us here and whom we humbly serve. We must not let them down."

Anne-Marie Trevelyan

As the former Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Department of Education, Anne-Marie Trevelyan said that it was "with sadness" that she had submitted her letter of resignation. 

"Some would say well just agree the treaty as it is now then bin it later," she wrote in her letter to the Prime Minister. "But I don't believe in that way of doing business - if we sign a treaty I want us to stand by it. I believe we must protect the Brexit mandate by trying to secure a deal which understands the spirit of the referendum, or we must have the leadership courage to deliver a WTO deal and work on a trade agreement later."

Ranil Jayawardena

Describing the present day as a "pivotal time for the United Kingdom", Ranil Jayawardena has today stepped down as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Ministry of Justice. He says he "entered public service not to be defined by the European question, but to deliver for my constituents and for our country. To provide the right infrastructure for our economy to grow. To secure the best education for our children so they have better lives tomorrow than we have today. To protect the public by enforcing our laws and our borders."

You can read the full resignation letter below:

Rehman Chishti

The MP for Gillingham and Rainham, Rehman Chishti announced shortly after 3pm today (November 15) that he would be standing down as vice-chairman of the Conservative Party, and also as the trade envoy to Pakistan. He said that the draft withdrawal agreement led to the decision, but also the "lack of leadership" shown by the current government when it comes to the Asia Bibi case.

The case referred to is a blasphemy case, which involved Pakistani Christian woman Aasiya Noreen, who was convicted by a Pakistani court and sentenced to death by hanging. Many have called for Asia to be given asylum by the UK following an overturning of her sentence in Pakistan, because of the vigilante justice they fear she may face whilst still in the country.

You can read Rehman's letter of resignation below:


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