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Who is Ben Bradley, why has he resigned and what were his vasectomy comments?

BEN Bradley resigned as Tory vice-chairman soon after Theresa May unveiled her Brexit plan.

The young MP may not be the most notable face in Cabinet, but his resignation could push the PM's Government into further turmoil. Here's what we know...

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Who is Ben Bradley?

Benjamin David Bradley, born December 11 1989, was appointed as the Conservatives' vice-chairman in Theresa May's 2018 New Year reshuffle.

The father-of-two, 28, married Shanade Bradley in 2015.

Two years later, Bradley was elected MP for Mansfield, tasked with attracting more young people.

Born to a policeman and a public servant, he was privately educated at Derby Grammar School, before he went on to university.

 Ben Bradley, far right, after Theresa May's New Year 2018 Cabinet reshuffle
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Ben Bradley, far right, after Theresa May's New Year 2018 Cabinet reshuffleCredit: PA:Press Association

He attended the University of Bath and the University of Salford, and dropped out.

Bradley headed to Nottingham Trent University, graduating with a first class degree in politics in 2013.

After graduating, Ben worked as a landscape gardener and bar man before working for MP Mark Spencer.

Why has Ben Bradley resigned?

Bradley resigned a day after Boris Johnson made his shock departure from Cabinet.

Mr Bradley said the Brexit plan agreed by the Cabinet at Chequers would damage the UK's opportunities to develop global trade.

Blasting the policy in his resignation letter, Mr Bradley said: "Being tied to EU regulations and the EU tying our hands when seeking to make new trade agreements will be the worst of all worlds.

"If we do not deliver Brexit in spirit as well as in name, then we are handing Jeremy Corbyn the keys to Number 10."

Mr Bradley's resignation was announced less than an hour before the PM was due to face the press alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel at an international summit in London.

What were his vasectomy comments?

Ben wrote a blog post when he was a 22-year-old activist, which came to light in January 2018.

In it he supported the proposal for a cap on the overall amount of benefits which any one family can claim.

Mr Bradley wrote: "It’s horrendous that there are families out there that can make vastly more than the average wage, (or in some cases more than a bloody good wage) just because they have 10 kids.

"Sorry but how many children you have is a choice; if you can’t afford them, stop having them! Vasectomies are free."

The post on his personal blog was tagged with terms including "wasters" and "chavs".

 A screengrab of the deleted blog post dating back to 2012
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A screengrab of the deleted blog post dating back to 2012

After he faced a wrath of criticism for the post, the MP said in a statement: "I apologise for these posts.

"My time in politics has allowed me to mature and I now realise that this language is not appropriate."

Labour's shadow youth minister Cat Smith slammed him, saying: "These repulsive comments expose the Tories’ disgraceful attitude to unemployed people.

"That they come from a man Theresa May chose as a vice-chair of her party speaks volumes. The nasty party is alive and well."

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