Leadsom cried and McVey 'went mental' before a civil servant pulled out a RULE BOOK to silence her - then May's plan was called 'a life raft with a plastic sail': Inside Theresa May's most explosive Cabinet meeting

  • The Cabinet signed off the Brexit deal after a marathon five-hours of wrangling 
  • Sources told MailOnline 'emotional' Esther McVey twice demanded formal vote
  • One witness claimed she 'went mental' and a 'shouting match' then broke out
  • Andrea Leadsom 'wiped away a tear' and warned PM Commons would kill plan
  • 'Sullen' Dominic Raab sat quietly and later refused to fly to Brussels to back deal
  • Attorney General asked MPs to hold their noses and back 'ugly sister' agreement
  • Around 10 other ministers voiced concerns about elements of the package 

The complete chaos in Theresa May's five-hour cabinet meeting led to rebels bursting into tears and 'going mental' as they railed against her 'ugly sister' Brexit deal, MailOnline can reveal today.

At least ten cabinet members are believed to have told the Prime Minister they were opposed to her plans during the marathon summit last night.

Esther McVey, who quit as pensions minister this morning, grew more 'emotional' and 'aggressive' before allegedly 'going mental' as she argued with Mrs May and repeatedly called for a show of hands on the deal.

The PM is said to have twice refused a vote before a 'shouting match' broke out in the room until Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill flourished the 'Cabinet manual' that says only the Prime Minister decides if a majority backs her.

But 'sullen' Dominic Raab sat quietly through parts of the meeting, it is claimed, and would later refuse to fly to Brussels to stand alongside Michel Barnier and Donald Tusk to hail the deal.

At the peak of the cross-table rowing Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom is said to have wiped away a tear as she warned Mrs May her proposals had little or no chance of getting through Parliament. 

Esther McVey, who quit as pensions minister this morning, grew more 'emotional' and 'aggressive' as she argued with Mrs May and repeatedly called for a show of hands on the deal.
Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom (pictured after the meeting) was said to have shed a tear

Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey (pictured leaving Downing Street) was irate during the bombshell meeting while Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom (right afterwards) was said to have shed a tear

A fuming Dominic Raab (pictured heading into the cabinet meeting at No10 yesterday afternoon) refused to get on a waiting jet to fly out to Brussels and plug the Brexit deal alongside Michel Barnier last night

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox is said to have declared that the MPs must hold their noses and back the 'ugly sister' deal, arguing that 'this life raft, constructed as it is of oil drums and a plastic sail, needs to make it out onto the open ocean'.

At the end of the brutal Downing Street meeting Mrs May handed out glasses of red and white wine while she went outside to tell Britain her deal was the 'best deal possible'. 

The inside story on the Cabinet meeting came as both Mr Raab and Ms McVey dramatically quit the Cabinet - tearing into the PM's Brexit deal and plunging her premiership into crisis.

What did ministers say about May's Brexit deal during the crunch Cabinet meeting? 

Here are what the ministers around the table at the crunch Cabinet meeting said about Theresa May's deal:  

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt: 

Urged May to 'dig in and fight for more concessions from Europe.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss: 

Said they were 'caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.' 

Health Secretary Matt Hancock: 

Told the room that he could not guarantee people would not die as a result of a no-deal Brexit.

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox:

Told colleagues to holds their noses and back the 'ugly sister' deal, arguing that 'this life raft, constructed as it was of oil drums and a plastic sail, needed to make it out onto the open ocean.

Commons leader Andrea Leadsom: 

Questioned whether Mrs. May was right to insist that the deal was the best that could possibly be achieved, and urged her to consider another round of negotiation  

Advertisement

Mr Raab became the second Brexit Secretary in just six months to resign - dealing a potentially fatal blow to Mrs May's time in office.

His resignation letter landed in No 10 this morning, but there were plenty of signs that he was not fully signed up to the Brexit plan the day before.

He was said to be 'sullen' during the meeting which signed off the PM's deal - even though he was meant to be the very man who went out and sold it to the country.

And he refused to get on a waiting jet to fly out to Brussels and plug the Brexit deal alongside Michel Barnier last night.

He was expected to stand side by side with the EU's chief negotiator to hail the deal as part of an orchestrated series of press conferences in Brussels, Dublin and London. 

He had harboured serious doubts about the deal, and had pushed strongly for the UK to be able to leave the backstop customs union deal unilaterally - a demand which did not make it into the 500-page Withdrawal Agreement.

And friends told Sky News he felt cut out and 'bypassed' in the negotiating process in the final, crucial moments. 

The BBC claims he told the Chief Whip on his way out he would be quitting. 

But while he quietly dwelt on his doubts about the deal in the meeting, Miss McVey was more explicit in her criticisms.

After nearly five hours of behind-closed doors discussions, the PM declared that she will press ahead with her controversial plan having left her cabinet members with glasses of red and white wine

After nearly five hours of behind-closed doors discussions, the PM declared that she will press ahead with her controversial plan having left her cabinet members with glasses of red and white wine

A leading Brexiteer, she is said to have grown 'emotional' and 'aggressive' as she warned the PM will lose a parliamentary vote on the deal and twice demanded a formal Cabinet vote on it.

How the day of Brexit chaos unfolded in Westminster

7.32am: Shailesh Vara quits as junior Northern Ireland minister, claiming the deal leaves Britain in a 'half way house'

8.53am: Dominic Raab resigns as Brexit Secretary, saying the 'indefinite' backstop threatens to break up the Union 

9.58am: Esther McVey goes as Work and Pensions Secretary, lashing the PM for a deal that 'does not honour the result of the referendum'

10.17am: Suella Braverman quits as junior Brexit minister, warning the 'concessions do do not respect the will of the people' 

10.20am: Anne-Marie Trevelyan quits as an aide to the Education Secretary because the deal is 'unacceptable' to Brexit voters 

10.30am: Theresa May rises in the Commons to present her Brexit deal to MPs insisting it is the best deal that could be negotiated and is in the national interest. She is battered by hostile questions on all sides for almost three hours. 

11.23am: Brexiteer ringleader Jacob Rees-Mogg uses his Commons question to condemn the deal and warn Mrs May she has lost his confidence. 

12.35pm: Ranil Jayawardena resigns as aide to the Justice Secretary saying the deal 'does not deliver a good and fair Brexit'. 

1.44pm: Mr Rees-Mogg appears outside Parliament to announce he and the European Research Group are sending letters demanding a vote of no confidence in Theresa May. He dramatically names a series of possible successors to deliver a better Brexit - but insists it is not a coup and he is not a candidate 

2.58pm: Rehman Chisti goes as the PM's trade envoy to Pakistan, saying the deal is 'contrary to our manifesto commitment' 

5.22pm: Theresa May holds a Downing Street press conference vowing to see her deal through and insisting she is acting in the national interest. She defiantly says she is working to get the best deal available and MPs will have to consider their own position when it comes to a vote.

6.48pm: Aid Secretary Penny Mordaunt leaves No 10 in a Government car having not resigned despite rumours she might. 

Advertisement

Her call for a vote flouts Cabinet convention, which says a consensus should emerge through discussion.

But while the PM's won the argument and no vote was held, she failed to win over Miss McVey who had handed in her resignation less than 24 hours later. 

Miss McVey's relationship with No10 was already strained over the row over the Universal Credit welfare reforms.

She reportedly had not been informed by the Treasury that extra money had been found for the benefit payments - leaving her to find out as Philip Hammond read out the Budget in the House of Commons late last month.

While officials at the DWP were said to have stepped in to only let her do pre-recorded clips as they worried about what she would say if she went live on air, according to The Times. 

It was amid these strained relations that she has departed.

The lengthy Cabinet meeting took a very different turn to the usual weekly No10 gatherings.

It ran more than two hours over time and the PM spoke far more than she usually does - responding to criticisms of specific aspects of her deal as she tried to rally her troops to back her deal.

No 10 sources said Mrs May opened the meeting by saying there are ‘difficult things we have to address and confront’.

The PM acknowledged the ‘strongly held views on these issues’ and made two main contributions herself at the beginning and end of the meeting.

As the Cabient wrapped up, the PM offered thanks for the ‘high quality’ contributions made by every minister in the room.  

Environment Secretary Michael Gove
Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom has deep misgivings about some of the compromises in the negotiations with Brussels

Environment Secretary Michael Gove (left) is said to have backed the deal with a 'heavy heart', while Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom voiced deep misgivings about some elements

While Aid Secretary Penny Mordaunt, a Brexiteer who has been placed on resignation watch, urged the PM to 'dig in and fight for more concessions from Europe'.     

Dominic Raab quits as Brexit Secretary saying he cannot 'in good conscience' back May's deal 

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab dropped the bombshell news on the morning after the PM forced the terms of her proposed plan through Cabinet in a stormy five-hour meeting

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab dropped the bombshell news on the morning after the PM forced the terms of her proposed plan through Cabinet in a stormy five-hour meeting

Theresa May is facing the threat of all-out Tory revolt today after Dominic Raab dramatically quit saying he could not 'in good conscience' support her Brexit deal.

The Brexit Secretary dropped the bombshell news on the morning after the PM forced the terms of her proposed plan through Cabinet in a stormy five-hour meeting.   

Mr Raab was understood to have endorsed the draft deal 'with a heavy heart' at the meeting yesterday, but harboured deep concerns about the UK being locked into the Irish border 'backstop'.

His decision could now spark a series of other departures - potentially posing a fatal threat to Mrs May's leadership. The Pound dropped sharply on the news as markets saw the chances of a Brexit agreement receding.

Mr Raab, who only succeeded David Davis in the post in July, said he had 'enduring respect' for Mrs May but added: 'Today, I have resigned as Brexit Secretary. I cannot in good conscience support the terms proposed for our deal with the EU.'

It is the second resignation in quick succession after Northern Ireland minister Shailesh Vara announced his departure, claiming Mrs May is trying to 'shackle' Britain to the EU 'indefinitely'. 

Advertisement

Just after 7pm - two hours behind schedule - Mrs May emerged from Downing Street to declare the deal had been signed off.

But her reference to a 'collective' decision rather than a unanimous one immediately raised eyebrows amid reports that numerous ministers had raised objections.  

Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox - both Brexiteers - were described as backing the plan 'with a heavy heart'. 

While Defence Secretary Gavin Willliamson, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt all expressed reservations a bout aspects of the deal.

Ministers had full and frank discussions during which they laid brae their reservations about the deal.

Mrs Leadsom allegedly asked 'whether we are actually leaving' and whether the deal would lead to the break-up of the union. 

She was said to have told Cabinet that if Mrs May continued with the plan, the European Research Group - the powerful group of Tory Brexit backing MPs - 'would end up having a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister'.

But energy minister Claire Perry is said to have leapt to the PM's defence by rebuffing the suggestions. 

Home Secretary Sajid Javid - who is tipped as a possible future Tory leader if Mrs May is ousted - also voiced his concerns.

He is understood to have asked whether there was any chance of trying to toughen up the exit clause from the Irish border 'backstop' - one of the most contentious parts of the agreement.

But he did not press the issue, conceding that the negotiating team was best place to know what could be achieved. 

Mr Javid also reportedly called for continuing plans for a no-deal Brexit in case the House of Commons rejects the plan, the Times reported. 

Mr Hunt also voiced concerns that Mrs May simply does not have the support among MPs she needs to get the deal through the Commons. 

He said that as many as 66 Tory MPs could vote against the deal, but said the PM was in a 'difficult situation'. 

Meanwhile Treasury Minister Liz Truss said ministers were 'caught between the devil and the deep blue sea' as they discussed the plan, which includes a transition period that could be extended beyond December 2020.   

Scottish Secretary David Mundell had emerged as a potential risk after he signed a letter warning against giving away fishing rights as part of the agreement.

Theresa May to quit: What happens next?

How does a leadership election work?

The election to find Theresa May's replacement is held in two stages with up to 20 Tory MPs expected to try to stand.  

To join the battle, any candidate requires two other MPs to sign forms agreeing to be their proposer and a seconder. 

The race will start on June 7 and is expected last around six weeks with the new leader in place by the end of July.

Mrs May is expected to remain as Prime Minister until a successor is appointed and ready to be confirmed by the Queen. 

How are candidates eliminated?  

Conservative MPs will hold a series of head-to-head ballots to whittle the list of contenders down to a final two, with the lowest placed candidate dropping out in each round.  

Who votes on the final two?

There will then be a series of hustings involving the two final candidates - probably in all regions of the UK - and a TV debate could also be held.

It is then the Tory members across the country step in.

They will then have around a fortnight to vote via postal ballot - which Mrs May avoided after rival Andrea Leadsom dropped out of the race. The last time a postal vote was held was in 2005, when David Cameron grabbed the leadership.  

Advertisement

He tonight confirmed that he was staying in the tent, without giving a full-hearted endorsement of the blueprint thrashed out with Brussels.

Chris Grayling apparently voiced concerns about losing the support of the DUP, which has kept Mrs May's fragile government alive since the snap election.  

Another Cabinet source said many of the ministers took potshots at 'specific' parts of the deal or offered 'constructive criticism', rather than opposing it wholesale.

'The Brexiteers moaned, but they did not have any alternative,' the source said. 'We are where we are.'

The discussion is said to have focused almost exclusively on the withdrawal package, with no real mention of the future trade relationship. One source said whether Mrs May 'pivots' away from Chequers is still an open issue.   

Brexiteer nerves were calmed by attorney general Geoffrey Cox, who told ministers that any bid to keep Britain in the controversial 'Irish backstop' indefinitely would lead to legal challenges.

Mr Cox reportedly called the plan an 'ugly sister of a deal'. He acknowledged there was a 'balance of risk' in the plans, but said: 'The one risk I am not prepared to take is one that means we don't end up delivering Brexit.'

Backing the proposals, he said it was time for the life raft made of 'oil drums and a plastic sail' to be released on to the open ocean. 'It was a key moment,' said a source.

Michael Gove was the only other Brexiteer minister to speak up for the deal.   

Meanwhile pro-Remain minister James Brokenshire also spoke up in favour of Mrs May, saying she should 'follow her judgment', the Guardian reported.  

Admitting that the debate had been 'long and impassioned', Mrs May said outside Downing Street: 'The collective decision of Cabinet was that the government should agree the draft Withdrawal Agreement and the outline political declaration.

'I know there will be difficult days ahead. This is a decision that will come under intense scrutiny and that is entirely as it should be.

'But the choice was this deal that enables to take back control and build a brighter future or going back to square one with division and uncertainty.'

'I firmly believe with my head and heart that this decisive choice is in the best interests of the entire UK.'   

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, an eminent QC and staunch Brexiteer, has emerged as a key figure in wrangling over the Irish border 'backstop'
Treasury minister Liz Truss is also among those joining the session

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, an eminent QC and staunch Brexiteer, has emerged as a key figure in wrangling over the Irish border 'backstop'. Treasury minister Liz Truss (right) was also among ministers at the session

Is May's deal already sunk? 100 Tories, the DUP and Labour have come out against - leaving her staring at defeat on December 11

Theresa May's task of getting her Brexit deal past the House of Commons is looking near-impossible as opposition mounts.

The 'meaningful vote' promised to MPs will happen on December 11 and is the single biggest hurdle to the Brexit deal happening - as well as being the key to Mrs May' fate as PM.

But despite opinion polls suggesting the public might be coming round to her deal, there is little sign of a shift among politicians.

Remainers have been stepping up calls for a second referendum in the wake of Sam Gyimah's resignation as universities minister over the weekend - while Brexiteers including Boris Johnson have accused Mrs May of betrayal.   

Mrs May needs at least 318 votes in the Commons if all 650 MPs turns up - but can probably only be confident of around 230 votes.

The number is less than half because the four Speakers, 7 Sinn Fein MPs and four tellers will not take part.

The situation looks grim for Mrs May and her whips: now the deal has been published, over 100 of her own MPs and the 10 DUP MPs have publicly stated they will join the Opposition parties in voting No.

This means the PM could have as few as 225 votes in her corner - leaving 410 votes on the other side, a landslide majority 185.

This is how the House of Commons might break down:

Mrs May needs at least 318 votes in the Commons if all 650 MPs turns up - but can probably only be confident of around 230 votes.

Mrs May needs at least 318 votes in the Commons if all 650 MPs turns up - but can probably only be confident of around 230 votes.

The Government (plus various hangers-on)

Who are they: All members of the Government are the so-called 'payroll' vote and are obliged to follow the whips orders or resign. It includes the Cabinet, all junior ministers, the whips and unpaid parliamentary aides.

There are also a dozen Tory party 'vice-chairs and 17 MPs appointed by the PM to be 'trade envoys'.

How many of them are there? 178.

What do they want? For the Prime Minister to survive, get her deal and reach exit day with the minimum of fuss.

Many junior ministers want promotion while many of the Cabinet want to be in a position to take the top job when Mrs May goes.

How will they vote? With the Prime Minister.

European Research Group Brexiteers demanding a No Confidence Vote

Who are they: The most hard line of the Brexiteers, they launched a coup against Mrs May after seeing the divorce. Led by Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker.

How many of them are there: 26

What do they want: The removal of Mrs May and a 'proper Brexit'. Probably no deal now, with hopes for a Canada-style deal later.

How will they vote: Against the Prime Minister.

Other Brexiteers in the ERG

Who are they: There is a large block of Brexiteer Tory MPs who hate the deal but have so far stopped short of moving to remove Mrs May - believing that can destroy the deal instead. They include ex Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith and ex minister Owen Paterson.

Ex ministers like Boris Johnson and David Davis are also in this group - they probably want to replace Mrs May but have not publicly moved against her.

How many of them are there? Around 50.

What do they want? The ERG has said Mrs May should abandon her plans for a unique trade deal and instead negotiate a 'Canada plus plus plus' deal.

This is based on a trade deal signed between the EU and Canada in August 2014 that eliminated 98 per cent of tariffs and taxes charged on goods shipped across the Atlantic.

The EU has long said it would be happy to do a deal based on Canada - but warn it would only work for Great Britain and not Northern Ireland.

How will they vote: Against the Prime Minister.

Remain including the People's Vote supporters

Who are they: Tory MPs who believe the deal is just not good enough for Britain. They include the group of unrepentant Remainers who want a new referendum like Anna Soubry and ex-ministers who quit over the deal including Jo Johnson and Phillip Lee.

How many of them are there: Maybe around 10.

What do they want? To stop Brexit. Some want a new referendum, some think Parliament should step up and say no.

A new referendum would take about six months from start to finish and they group wants Remain as an option on the ballot paper, probably with Mrs May's deal as the alternative.

How will they vote? Against the Prime Minister.

Moderates in the Brexit Delivery Group (BDG) and other Loyalists

Who are they? A newer group, the BDG counts members from across the Brexit divide inside the Tory Party. It includes former minister Nick Boles and MPs including Remainer Simon Hart and Brexiteer Andrew Percy.

There are also lots of unaligned Tory MPs who are desperate to talk about anything else.

How many of them are there? Based on public declarations, about 48 MPs have either said nothing or backed the deal.

What do they want? The BDG prioritises delivering on Brexit and getting to exit day on March 29, 2019, without destroying the Tory Party or the Government. If the PM gets a deal the group will probably vote for it.

It is less interested in the exact form of the deal but many in it have said Mrs May's Chequers plan will not work.

Mr Boles has set out a proposal for Britain to stay in the European Economic Area (EEA) until a free trade deal be negotiated - effectively to leave the EU but stay in close orbit as a member of the single market.

How will they vote? With the Prime Minister.

The DUP

Who are they? The Northern Ireland Party signed up to a 'confidence and supply' agreement with the Conservative Party to prop up the Government.

They are Unionist and say Brexit is good but must not carve Northern Ireland out of the Union.

How many of them are there? 10.

What do they want? A Brexit deal that protects Northern Ireland inside the UK.

How will they vote? Against the Prime Minister on the grounds they believe the deal breaches the red line of a border in the Irish Sea.

Labour Loyalists

Who are they? Labour MPs who are loyal to Jeremy Corbyn and willing to follow his whipping orders.

How many of them are there? Up to 250 MPs depending on exactly what Mr Corbyn orders them to do.

What do they want? Labour policy is to demand a general election and if the Government refuses, 'all options are on the table', including a second referendum.

Labour insists it wants a 'jobs first Brexit' that includes a permanent customs union with the EU. It says it is ready to restart negotiations with the EU with a short extension to the Article 50 process.

The party says Mrs May's deal fails its six tests for being acceptable.

How will they vote? Against the Prime Minister's current deal.

Labour Rebels

Who are they? A mix of MPs totally opposed to Mr Corbyn's leadership, some Labour Leave supporters who want a deal and some MPs who think any deal will do at this point.

How many of them are there? Maybe 10 to 20 MPs but this group is diminishing fast - at least for the first vote on the deal.

What do they want? An orderly Brexit and to spite Mr Corbyn.

How will they vote? With the Prime Minister.

Other Opposition parties

Who are they? The SNP, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, Green Caroline Lucas and assorted independents.

How many of them are there? About 60 MPs.

How will they vote? Mostly against the Prime Minister - though two of the independents are suspended Tories and two are Brexiteer former Labour MPs. 

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.