BREXIT REVOLT
Jacob Rees-Mogg brands Corbyn ‘deputy PM’ as two ministers quit in protest at May cutting deal with Labour
JEREMY Corbyn is now acting as the deputy PM after Theresa May teamed up with Labour to cut a new Brexit deal, Jacob Rees-Mogg blasted today.
The top Brexiteer hit out at the Prime Minister as two ministers quit in protest at Mrs May "cooking up a deal with a Marxist".
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Nigel Adams, the Wales Minister and Government whip stormed: "It is clear that we will now end up in the customs union."
And junior Brexit Minister Chris Heaton-Harris claimed his job - preparing for a possible No Deal - is now ";irrelevant", adding: "I simply cannot support any extension to Article 50."
Other Brexiteers have threatened to bring down the Government in the wake of the PM's controversial move.
And MPs are considering a no-confidence vote against Mrs May as soon as tonight.
Jacob Rees-Mogg said: "It's surprising that a Prime Minister who said quite clearly that the Leader of the Opposition was unfit to govern last week thinks that he should practically be deputy Prime Minister this week."
Iain Duncan Smith blasted: "The spectre of Corbyn lording it over us in a prime ministerial way as he wrecks Brexit makes my blood run cold and fear for my party and my country."
The PM was then attacked to her face by a string of Conservative MPs in the House of Commons.
Last night she announced she would open talks with Labour to thrash out a compromise deal which can make it through the Commons.
In a furious letter, Mr Adams - the MP for Selby and Ainsty - accused Mrs May of a "grave error" in abandoning her policy of keeping No Deal Brexit on the table.
He wrote: "I believe we have two great challenges. We must deliver the Brexit the people voted for. And we must prevent the calamity of a Corbyn government.
"Sadly, I fear that we are now at risk of simultaneously failing in both.
"Legitimising and turning to Jeremy Corbyn to assist you at this crucial stage, rather than being bold, is a grave error.
"It is clear that we will now end up in the customs union. That is not the Brexit my constituents were promised, and it is contrary to the pledge we made in our manifesto."
Turning to Jeremy Corbyn to assist you at this crucial stage is a grave error
Nigel Adams
Mr Adams concluded: "It now seems that you and your Cabinet have decided that a deal - cooked up with a Marxist who has never once in his political life put British interests first - is better than No Deal.
"I profoundly disagree with this approach and I have therefore decided that I must reluctantly tender my resignation."
Mr Heaton-Harris - close pal and flatmate of Mr Adams - this afternoon resigned as a minister in the Brexit Department.
He was in charge of making sure Britain is ready to leave the EU without a deal if necessary.
The MP for Daventry wrote to the PM: "I completely understand you do not want to leave the European Union without a negotiated deal and that obviously makes my job in Government irrelevant.
"I have constantly voted in Parliament for us to leave the European Union on March 29, 2019. I truly believe we should have honoured the result of the 2016 referendum and left on that date.
"Indeed every time we seek an extension to this process we diminish faith in our political system and the good people, from all political parties, who serve within it.
"I simply cannot support any further extension to Article 50 and this obviously means I cannot stay in Government."
He is the 36th member of the Government to resign in the past year, with most quitting on principle because they disagree about Brexit.
Mrs May's spokesman replied: "The Prime Minister was saddened to hear of this decision by a dedicated and skilful Minister to resign from Government.
"Chris Heaton-Harris has been doing crucial work in ensuring that the country is prepared to leave the EU in all scenarios, and the PM thanks him for his service."
BACKBENCH ASSAULT
Brexiteer backbenchers have accused the Prime Minister of handing Mr Corbyn the keys to No10 by offering to include him in talks on Britain's EU exit.
Today a number of MPs hit out at her during PMQs - veteran Julian Lewis asked: "Why is a Conservative Prime Minister who repeatedly told us that No Deal is better than a bad deal approaching Labour MPs to block a WTO Brexit when most Conservative MPs want us to leave the EU with a clean break?"
Loyalist Caroline Johnson added: "If it comes to the point when we have to balance the risk of a No Deal Brexit versus the risk of letting down the country and ushering in a Marxist, anti-Semite-led government, what does she think at the point is the lowest risk?"
Earlier Andrea Jenkyns suggested she could vote to trigger a snap General Election rather than accept the move.
Ex-minister Priti Patel stormed: "A man who sides with terrorists and socialist dictators, would surrender our nuclear deterrent, has let anti-Semitism run rife in his party and would bankrupt Britain has now been given the keys to Brexit."
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And Maria Caulfield compared the PM to Michael Douglas in Fatal Attraction - who has a fling with Glenn Close only for her to turn into a crazed stalker.
The backbencher said: "The PM's deal with Corbyn is the political equivalent of 'my wife doesn’t understand me' all is not well at home so I am going to find succour and support else where. This will not end well #fatalattraction".
Tory MPs have demanded Mrs May turn up to tonight's meeting of the 1922 Committee to explain her decision.
One said: "If she has time to meet Corbyn she must make time to meet us."
The PM says she will thrash out a compromise with Labour, then put the revised deal to the Commons and agree to carry out whatever MPs decide.
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The U-turn effectively rules out a No Deal Brexit and makes it much more likely Britain will stay in the customs union - which would stop us cutting trade deals with the rest of the world.
No10 hopes the move will persuade holdout Brexiteers to back the existing withdrawal agreement for fear of ending up with something worse.
Michael Gove said: "What we’re really doing is making sure that concentrated minds in parliament have a chance to focus on the options in front of us."
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PM Theresa May to delay Brexit again as she asks Jeremy Corbyn to help her hammer out softer EU exit deal
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