Northern Ireland minister quits over Brexit deal as Theresa May braces for leadership challenge

Northern Ireland minister Shailesh Vara has quit government over Theresa May’s draft Brexit agreement, as the Prime Minister steels herself to face MPs later in the Commons.

Cabinet met for five hours last night to discuss the document, during which it is thought a number were close to quitting.

Theresa May emerged claiming she had won their backing for the deal.

But this morning North West Cambridgeshire MP Vara said "it has been a joy and privilege" to serve as a Northern Ireland minister, but the contents of the 585-page deal had left him with no option but to resign.

Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister said: “This is a decisive step which enables us to move on and finalise the deal in the days ahead. These decisions were not taken lightly but I believe it is a decision that is firmly in the national interest.”

But she faces the Commons later with speculation mounting that enough letters of no confidence in her performance could be submitted by angry Tory MPs, which could eventually lead to a full-blown leadership contest.

Under the negotiated agreement, the UK will remain in a customs union with the EU as a way of avoiding a hard Irish border until a future trade deal can be agreed.

However, Northern Ireland will also have to stay in parts of the EU single market, thereby tying it closer to Brussels than the rest of the country.

And the "temporary" customs arrangement will only come to an end with the agreement of Brussels, meaning the UK cannot unilaterally walk away from the set-up, as was confirmed last night by EU negotiator Michel Barnier.

Last night, Scottish Secretary David Mundell backed the draft deal, despite having signed a letter to May with other Scottish Conservative MPs concerns about its impact on the fishing industry.

“We need to support her going forward with the agreement, that's potentially been reached because the alternative to reaching this agreement is no deal, and no deal is an absolutely appalling outcome, not just for Scotland but for the whole of the United Kingdom,” he told the BBC.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted that May had called her after the cabinet meeting.

“She tried to tell me Scotland’s ‘distinctive’ interests had been protected. I pointed out that there isn’t a single mention of Scotland in the agreement, that it disregards our interests, and puts Scotland at a serious competitive disadvantage,” she said.