Justice minister Phillip Lee today dramatically quit to ‘speak up for his constituents’ on Brexit.
Dr Lee said he could not ‘look his children in the eye’ and support the way Brexit is ‘currently being delivered’.
The departure – announced live on stage at a think-tank event in London – is a huge blow for Theresa May as she faces a series of knife-edge votes on the EU Withdrawal Bill later.
Dr Lee, known as a strong Remainer, said he believed the government’s existing policy was ‘detrimental’ to the country.
Amid rumours of more resignations to follow, he urged fellow Tory MPs to back a push for a ‘meaningful’ vote on any final Brexit deal – and said there should be a second referendum.
He said: ‘If, in the future, I am to look my children in the eye and honestly say that I did my best for them I cannot, in all good conscience, support how our country’s exit from the EU looks set to be delivered.’
Phillip Lee announced his resignation live on stage at a think-tank event in London with Theresa May facing a series of knife-edge votes on the EU Withdrawal Bill later
Dr Lee dramatically announced his decision as the Brexit negotiations reach a critical point
Theresa May (pictured in the Commons yesterday) is struggling to overturn a slew of amendments passed by peers to the EU Withdrawal Bill
Dr Lee said: ‘I believe that the evidence now shows that the Brexit policy our government is currently pursuing, on the basis of the 2016 referendum, is detrimental to the people we are elected to serve.
‘Certainly it now seem inevitable that the people economy and culture of my own constituency will be affected negatively.
‘And I cannot ignore that it is to them that I owe my first responsibility as a member of Parliament.’
Dr Lee also called for a second referendum on Brexit.
‘When the Government is able to set out an achievable, clearly defined path – one that has been properly considered, whose implications have been foreseen, and that is rooted in reality and evidence, not dreams and dogma – it should go to the people, once again, to seek their confirmation,’ he said.
The resignation heaps pressure on Mrs May as she gathers her Cabinet in No10 ahead of the Commons showdown.
Dr Lee was was slapped down by Downing Street in January after breaking ranks to express concern about the economic impact of Brexit on the UK.
The comments came after a leaked government document suggested Britain would be worse off under every Brexit scenario.
Dr Lee said ‘evidence, not dogma’ should dictate the Government’s approach to Brexit.
But No10 said Dr Lee had been spoken to by chief whip Julian Smith and ‘reminded it is better to express such views in private in future’.
The Prime Minister’s flagship legislation is on a knife edge as the government bids to reverse a slew of amendments imposed by the House of Lords.
The threat of catastrophic defeat for Mrs May seemed to have receded after Tory rebels agreed to put off a showdown over whether Britain should stay in a customs union with the EU.
But there is still a serious prospect that the government could lose on demands for parliament to be given a so-called ‘meaningful vote’ on any final Brexit deal.
The Lords had insisted that Parliament be put in charge of negotiations if MPs did not accept the terms sealed with the EU, effectively undermining Mrs May’s position.
Downing Street insisted today it will not accept a compromise tabled by former Cabinet minister Dominic Grieve, which would force the government to come up with a new strategy in the event of the Brexit deal being rejected, and put that to MPs again for approval.
David Davis this morning stepped up warnings that Britain’s negotiating leverage would be seriously damaged if key amendments were not overturned.
Last night Mrs May delivered a direct warning to backbench Tory MPs that any defeats would encourage Brussels to turn the screw.
The resignation came as ministers including Boris Johnson (left) and David Davis gathered for a Cabinet meeting in Downing Street
Chief Whip Julian Smith has been scrambling to put the numbers together to overturn Lords amendments to the Brexit Bill
Dr Lee said he was ‘incredibly sad’ but was stepping down to voice his opinions on ‘how Brexit is currently being delivered’