Theresa May’s Brexit plans have come under intense pressure after a bombshell ministerial resignation amid grave warnings from the DUP that they may withdraw vital Commons support for the proposals. Jo Johnson’s announcement on Friday afternoon that he had quit as transport minister saw pro-EU and arch-Brexiteers in the Conservative Party unite to attack the British Prime Minister’s stance. Calling for a second referendum to be held on Brexit, Mr Johnson denounced the choice between her deal or no-deal as a “failure of British statecraft on a scale unseen since the Suez crisis” that had left Britain facing “vassalage” or “chaos”. His dramatic resignation, delivered as Mrs May travelled to France to take part in Armistice centennial commemorations, sparked speculation that the British PM could face further Cabinet departures in the coming days. Tory MP Anna Soubry, a vociferous Remain campaigner, said she had “huge respect” for Mr Johnson, telling The Guardian: “Jo isn’t the only minister who shares these views and I hope others will follow his lead.” Ahead of a conference of the Eurosceptic Bruges Group today, Tory MP Mark Francois also said further ministerial resignations could not be ruled out. He told the BBC: “When we get the final deal, and it feels like that’s not very far away, Cabinet ministers will have to look into their hearts and see whether or not they feel they can support it. “And, if they can’t, because they believe it’s a bad deal for the country, then, honourably, they would have… [Read full story]
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