The Conservative MP who resigned from the Government to rebel over Theresa May’s handling of Brexit has been labelled untrustworthy by his own constituents.
Dr Phillip Lee stepped down as Justice Minister, citing his belief for another Brexit referendum and that he felt the need to ‘speak up for my constituents’ – despite Bracknell voting 53 per cent in favour of leaving the EU.
Residents in his constituency reacted in disgust today following news of his resignation.
Martin Lewis, aged 32 years, said: ‘I can’t understand why he’s stepped down. He’s there to represent the British people – who voted to leave the EU.’
The charity shop volunteer added: ‘We can’t trust politicians anymore, they just aren’t looking out for normal people.
Phillip Lee was applauded by Remainers in the Commons (pictured) as he said politicians had a duty to protect the public from doing things that harmed society – such as when parliament banned capital punishment
‘I voted for Brexit because this country has lost its identity but the people in Parliament are trying to stop it from happening,’ he said.
Derek Ferguson, aged 51 years, said that he thought that the timing of his MPs resignation was damaging for the public.
The former publican said: ‘I’m not racist but we need to look out for our own country. The NHS is falling apart and we need to take back control of our own laws.’
The intervention in the Commons came after Dr Lee resigned as justice minister
However not everyone in Bracknell was as outraged over Dr Lee’s resignation as Brexit voters.
Carer Val Harle, aged 68 years, said that she was happy that the former GP took the decision so that he could look out for his constituents .
‘I once wrote to him directly, as my drains were blocked and the council was doing nothing to help me,’ she said.
‘After months of complaining I wrote directly to Dr Lee, and within days my drains were fixed. It’s a bittersweet feeling to see him having resigned,’ she added.
Retired friends Eileen Killiestin, aged 75 years and Eileen Perkins, aged 73 years, said that Dr Lee was a popular figure in the local community.
The pair agreed that Brexit was bad for the country and added that it was ‘fantastic’ he had stepped down but they admitted that the timing did not benefit anyone.
The betrayal will have been a particularly stinging betrayal as Dr Lee is one of Mrs May’s few close friends in politics, and she is said to have attended his wedding. They are pictured together in 2012
Dr Lee dramatically announced his decision as the Brexit negotiations reach a critical point
The former social services worker and retired nurse moved to Bracknell from Ireland recently and said that Dr Lee was well thought of in the community.
Despite criticism from some, Dr Lee remained adamant that he had made the right decision.
He said he quit so that could ‘look his children in the eye and say I did the best for them.’
His resignation was deemed a severe blow to Mrs May’s hopes to align her party over Brexit negotiations.
Theresa May (pictured in Downing Street today) is struggling to overturn a slew of amendments passed by peers to the EU Withdrawal Bill
Earlier today, Dr Lee compared Brexit to the death penalty today after betraying Theresa May by dramatically quitting the government.
Dr Lee was applauded by Remainers as he said politicians had a duty to defy public opinion over issues that harmed society – such as when parliament banned capital punishment.
The intervention in the Commons came after Dr Lee resigned as justice minister saying he could not ‘look his children in the eye’ and support the way Brexit is ‘currently being delivered’.
He also insisted he wanted to ‘speak up for his constituents’ – even though Eurosceptics pointed out his Bracknell seat voted 53 per cent to Leave in the referendum and the local party chair criticised his move.
After a Government concession meant Mrs May avoided defeat on a crucial amendment, Mr Lee tonight said his resignation was justified – even though he never voted against the PM’s orders.
The resignation, announced live on stage during a speech in London, heaped pressure on Mrs May just hours before a series of knife-edge votes on the EU Withdrawal Bill.
It will have been a particularly stinging betrayal as Dr Lee is one of the premier’s few close friends in politics, and she is said to have attended his wedding.
Dr Lee turned the screw by speaking in the Commons debate this afternoon, saying he was ‘devastated’ to have to quit, but adding: ‘I believe that there is growing evidence which shows that the Brexit policy our Government is currently pursuing to deliver on the 2016 referendum is detrimental to the people we were elected to serve.’
Dr Lee added: ‘Sometimes when a majority of people want something that is against the good of society, government and parliament have a responsibility to protect us.
‘This was the case for the death penalty, where for decades politicians went against the majority view and refused to restore it.
‘Now I believe it has got to be the case for the Brexit process.’
Tory former minister Anna Soubry intervened in the speech to congratulate him, and fellow Conservative Sarah Wollaston said it was a ‘courageous decision’.
The resignation is a massive blow for Mrs May, who this morning gathered her Cabinet in No10 ahead of the Commons showdown.
Conservative rebels, Labour, the SNP and the Lib Dems hailed the departure as a ‘principled’ stand.
But Downing Street tried to play down the impact, saying: ‘His resignation is a matter for him and we thank him for his service.’
Dr Lee urged fellow Tory MPs to back a push for a ‘meaningful’ vote on any final Brexit deal in the Commons – 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.’
Brexiteers complained that Dr Lee was actually defying his own constituents – and the chair of his local party suggested he might face the risk of deselection.
Delivering his bombshell at a Bright Blue event in London today, 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 – who had reportedly not even told his wife what he was planning to do – also called for another national ballot 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.
Chris Boutle, chair of the Bracknell Conservative Association, said Dr Lee’s move would ‘count against him’ if an election was called.
‘The constituency voted for Leave and although there are a few very enthusiastic Remainers, the majority of his party certainly wants to leave,’ he told the Telegraph.
‘A number of those who voted for remain are now prepared to accept the democratic decision and leave.’
Tory backbencher Simon Clarke told MailOnline: ‘MPs gave the British people the right to make this decision and they voted to leave the EU – including Philip Lee’s own constituents in Bracknell by some 53 per cent.
‘In my experience, whether people voted to leave or remain, they want us to get on with the job of delivering Brexit and are much more interested in our future after Brexit than they are in trying to refight the referendum or overturn the result.’
Senior Tory Nigel Evans added: ‘Bracknell folk voted out by a greater margin than the UK – we all stood on a manifesto only a year ago to deliver brexit and that is what the people now expect.
‘We must not weaken the PMs hands in her discussions with Brussels so I hope Philip backs Theresa in the lobbies over the next two days despite any personal reservations he may hold.’
In fresh signs of Tory infighting, former minister Nick Boles took a swipe at David Davis for his threats to resign over the Brexit ‘backstop’ last week.
Mr Boles insisted he did not agree with Dr Lee on holding a referendum, but admired his ‘honesty and integrity’.
‘So much classier to resign on principle when nobody is expecting it, than to threaten resignation but never follow through,’ he said.
Meanwhile, resident in Dr Lee’s constituency of Bracknell, Berkshire residents reacted with fury to his decision to quit.
Martin Lewis, aged 32 years, said: ‘I can’t understand why he’s stepped down. He’s there to represent the British people – who voted to leave the EU.’
The charity shop volunteer added: ‘We can’t trust politicians anymore, they just aren’t looking out for normal people.
‘I voted for Brexit because this country has lost its identity but the people in Parliament are trying to stop it from happening,’ he said.
Derek Ferguson, aged 51 years, said that he thought that the timing of his MPs resignation was damaging for the public.
The former publican said: ‘I’m not racist but we need to look out for our own country. The NHS is falling apart and we need to take back control of our own laws.’
However not everyone in Bracknell was as outraged over Dr Lee’s resignation as Brexit voters.
The Prime Minister’s has spent the day trying to save her flagship Brexit legislation after the Lords imposed a slew of amendments.
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 ministers had to make more concessions over 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.
Phillip Lee announced his resignation live on stage at a think-tank event in London today (pictured) with Theresa May facing a series of knife-edge votes on the EU Withdrawal Bill later
The resignation came as ministers including Boris Johnson (left) and David Davis gathered for a Cabinet meeting in Downing Street
Tory Remainers including Antoinette Sandbach hailed the decision by Dr Lee to resign in protest at the government’s Brexit policy
Downing Street insisted this morning that it would 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.
But this evening solicitor General Robert Buckland promised rebel ringleader Dominic Grieve his plans to effectively rule out a no deal Brexit would be the basis of talks as soon as tomorrow – but only if he called off a revolt in the Commons tonight.
Mr Buckland appeared to concede to Mr Grieve’s central demand for a Commons vote either if the Government decides to walk away from talks without a deal, or if there is no deal by November 30.
The concession will not be finalised until the legislation returns to the House of Lords in the coming days or weeks.
But the offer appeared to have been enough as rebels signalled they were prepared to back down for now.
Passing the amendment would have meant a major shift away from the UK’s existing constitutional settlement – which gives the executive powers to negotiate treaties.
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’.
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.
Former education secretary Nicky Morgan, a leading Remainer, indicated she would support Mrs May in tomorrow’s vote on an amendment designed to keep Britain in a customs union with the EU.
Mrs Morgan said she would back a compromise plan – with the words ‘customs union’ being replaced with ‘customs arrangements’ – adding that it would help ‘buy time’ for the Prime Minister ahead of a crunch Brussels summit at the end of this month.
The fudge was put together by another former minister, Oliver Letwin. Asked whether the deal was ‘kicking the can down the road, Mr Letwin said: ‘That is a very sensible thing to do.’
The big moments will come this afternoon – when MPs debate calls for Parliament to be given a so-called meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal – and tomorrow, when they debate the customs union.
In fresh signs of Tory infighting, former minister Nick Boles took a swipe at David Davis for his threats to resign over the Brexit ‘backstop’ last week
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’