Justice minister and close ally of Theresa May resigns over Brexit policy comparing it to the death penalty

JUSTICE minister Dr Phillip Lee has dramatically resigned to oppose the Government's Brexit policy - comparing it to the death penalty.

Theresa May was dealt the blow by her close ally just hours before a series of crucial votes in the House of Commons on her flagship EU withdrawal bill.

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Remain-backing Dr Lee said he was standing down "so that I can better speak up for my constituents", saying he wants to vote to give MPs more say over the final deal the UK gets back from Brussels.

He has now explained his decision in the chamber, saying it was a "matter of deep principle".

The MP for Bracknell said: "A Government’s first repsonsbilty is to protect its citizens. This is usually understood in military terms but I believe it applies more generally.

“It means that sometimes when a majority of our people want something that is against the good of society, government and parliament has a responsibility to protect us.

“This was the case with the death penalty, when for decades politicians went against the majority view and refused to reinstate it.

“Now I believe it needs to be the case with the Brexit process.”

Dr Lee backed Mrs May's bid to become PM in 2016, and was made a minister in the wake of her victory.

But their relationship goes back much further, as Dr Lee was a guest at her wedding, and is seen as one of her few real friends in politics.

What we know so far:

• MPs will today vote on whether to accept or reject 15 changes the House of Lords tried to slap on Theresa May's flagship Bill
• TORY rebels MPs Dominic Grieve and Ken Clarke - who are set to cause a major headache for the Prime Minister by voting against the Government - were the first to voice their displeasure with the Government's plans, putting ministers on edge ahead of the votes which will take place later today
• THERESA May got a boost as several Labour MPs hinted they opposed the Lords amendment on a "meaningful vote"
• VOTES are expected from around 4.15pm today

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So his decision to turn on her plan for Brexit today, and also call for the public to have another vote on the EU deal, will be all the more damaging.

The PM was reportedly only given a few minutes warning before she went into chair a Cabinet meeting of his plan to resign on stage at a think tank.

Dr Lee said this afternoon: "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."

By resigning from the government he is free to vote against it this afternoon, when the PM faces a fight to take back control of her key legislation.

The House of Lords passed a series of amendments aimed at wrecking the bill, which outlines how we will exit the EU, last month.

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Mrs May is hoping to overturn all 15 of them during two days of debate starting this afternoon.

Opening the exchanges, David Davis said that MPs should reject anything that seeks to threaten the vote or undermine it.

But pro-EU Tory MPs have threatened to defy him on some of the clauses in a bid to force the UK into a softer Brexit or give them more control over it.

The amendment where the PM faces the most difficulty is on giving the Commons a so-called "meaningful vote".

This would allow MPs the chance to not only vote on whether they are happy with the final Brexit deal, but allows them to direct ministers to go back and renegotiate.

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The government offered their own version of the amendment last week, watering it down, but that was rejected by the rebels.

And this morning the leader of the pro-EU Tories, Dominic Grieve, tabled another version of the amendment as a potential compromise and head off any defeat for the PM.

But Number 10 has rejected this plan, saying it goes to far in giving MPs control over the direction of the Brexit talks, suggesting the vote today will now go down to the wire.

And the rebels can count one more to their ranks as of this morning, following Dr Lee's shock resignation.

The 47-year-old, who has been a minister since the summer of 2016, explained his decision in a statement on his website.

He said it "goes against every grain in my soul", but was something he had to do "because, for me, such a serious principle is being breached that I would find it hard to live with myself afterwards if I let it pass".

The MP explained: "The main reason for my taking this decision now is the Brexit process and the Government's wish to limit Parliament's role in contributing to the final outcome in a vote that takes place today.

"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."

He also revealed support for holding another referendum on the Brexit deal, writing: "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."

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However he could also face the threat of being deselected by his local party, after the chairman of the constituency - which voted 54 per cent for Leave - called for him to explain his decision at a meeting on Monday.

And Chris Boutle told The Telegraph “if an election were to be called it will count again him” if he wanted to be chosen again as the party's candidate.

However he has been supported in his decision by several MPs, with Labour’s Chris Bryant calling him a “man to admire and respect”.

And the Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner tweeted: “This has got to be one of the hardest decisions a government minister would take so I have total respect to him for standing by what he thinks is right regardless of which side of the debate you are on.”

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The Tory former minister Nick Boles also posted: “I don't agree with Dr Phillip Lee about the idea of holding a referendum on the Brexit deal.

"But I admire his honesty and integrity.”

And he seemingly made a dig at David Davis, who threatened to, but ultimately stopped short of, resigning as Brexit Secretary last week over the Irish border backstop.

Mr Boles added: “So much classier to resign on principle when nobody is expecting it, than to threaten resignation but never follow through.”

Last night the PM told rebellious Tory MPs to think of the nation in a desperate appeal for unity among her feuding party.

At a meeting with the 1922 committee of backbenchers she said: "We must think about the message Parliament will send to the European Union this week.

"I am trying to negotiate the best deal for Britain.

"I am confident I can get a deal that allows us to strike our own trade deals while having a border with the EU which is as frictionless as possible.

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"But if the Lords amendments are allowed to stand, that negotiating position will be undermined."

She added: "The message we send to the country through our votes this week is important.

"We must be clear that we are united as a party in our determination to deliver on the decision made by the British people."