Conservative MP John Penrose was appointed Northern Ireland minister on Friday evening by Theresa May as she moved to fill positions left vacant after a series of resignations over her Brexit deal. But just hours before he accepted the government job, Penrose declared the deal "dead", BuzzFeed News can reveal.

In a WhatsApp message to Conservative colleagues after Brexit secretary Dominic Raab quit the government, Penrose said there was no chance May’s draft agreement to leave the EU would survive.



He urged Leave-supporting MPs not to oust the PM, but called on colleagues to force her into seeking a “better” Brexit agreement.

“With Dominic going the deal is dead so we have our best short term opportunity to push her towards something better,” he wrote.