David Davis has resigned as Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union with ‘immediate effect’, saying he could not be a “reluctant conscript” in selling the PM’s Brexit deal. Davis’ deputy Steve Baker also resigned within the hours following.

His resignation letter is an assault on Theresa May’s Brexit plan. Davis says the plan agreed at the Prime Minister’s Chequers residence on Friday would make parliament’s control ‘illusory rather than real”, and also criticised May’s negotiating stance with EU, saying he was “unpersuaded” that the PM’s approach will “not just lead to further demands for concessions” from the EU.

Here is David Davis resignation letter pic.twitter.com/Qzj2rLaw6z — Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) July 8, 2018

Theresa May has now responded to Davis’ resignation letter, with a three page letter of her own, outlining the key points from her Brexit plan, and expresses she is sorry Davis is leaving when the UK is “only eight months” away from leaving the EU.

Here is PM’s 3 page response to Davis punchy resignation letter: pic.twitter.com/XkMUi11iEn — Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) July 9, 2018

Theresa May’s ‘united cabinet’ appears to be in disarray after this high profile resignation. Additionally, many political correspondents are now pointing towards a possible leadership contest for May, potentially from David Davis, though this is less likely.

Social Affairs Correspondent at Daily Express:

Interesting- and heavier than usual – post bag for 1922 committee chair Graham Brady tomorrow? #48letters — Sarah O’Grady (@ExpressOGrady) July 8, 2018

Labour MP Mary Creagh:

David Davis doesn’t even give May the courtesy of resigning during the day. Leadership contest imminent… — Mary Creagh (@MaryCreaghMP) July 8, 2018

Longstanding Eurosceptic and Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin has also somewhat changes alliances, after calling for MPs to back the Prime Minister last week, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on monday morning: “if the prime minister thinks she has consent and support from every member of her cabinet she is deluding herself, as we have just seen”.







Update:

Theresa May has appointed housing minister and leave supporter Dominic Raab as the new Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. Raab once worked as David Davis’ chief of staff, and today the former Brexit Secretary told the BBC he would talk to Raab about the challenges he faces.

In an interview two weeks ago, Raab said he supported a “full-fat Brexit” but “never said there weren’t risks with Brexit”.

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This article has been amended: Earlier we stated that Shells Baker had resigned, she has not. She remains an undersecretary for the Brexit department.