Brexit: Ex-cabinet member Justine Greening becomes first senior Tory to openly call for a second referendum

'This deal is a fudge I can’t support', says former education secretary

Ex-cabinet minister Justine Greening has become the first senior Tory to endorse a second Brexit referendum, in a major intervention where she branded Theresa May's Brexit plan the "worst of both worlds".

The former education secretary said Ms May's Chequer's proposals for a common rule book with the EU were a "fudge" and indicated that other senior Conservatives privately supported her calls for a fresh vote.

It comes as Ms May faced the threat of a Common revolt on Monday, as Eurosceptic MPs prepared to mount a show of parliamentary strength by tabling amendments to a key Brexit bill that would effectively kill off her Chequers plan.

The measures are highly unlikely to pass without Labour backing but the move allows the rebels to pressure the prime minister into retreat.

“Having read the detail, this deal is a fudge I can’t support. It’s the worst of both worlds,” Ms Greening wrote in an article for The Times.

“The only solution is to take the final Brexit decision out of the hands of deadlocked politicians, away from the backroom deals, and give it back to the people."

But instead of being given a choice of either leaving the EU or remaining in it, she said a second referendum should not be a “divisive, binary choice”, but instead should include three options - Ms May’s current plan, remaining in the EU, or leaving with no deal.

Ms Greening said parliament was "gridlocked", telling the Today programme: "There is only one way through that gridlock and that is to take the decision away from parliament, which has spent two years trying to find a way through and failed, and give it back to the people."

Asked if any other senior Tories backed a second referendum, she said: "Yes I believe so."

However Tory Brexiteer Sir Bernard Jenkin said her plans were "a little ill-thought out", adding: "If we wanted to extend the uncertainty for another long period this is one way of doing it."

He told Today that the Chequers plan was "dead" as it was "neither beloved by Remainers or Leavers".

"It's also quite likely to be either rejected by the EU or more demands will be made upon it so it will be even less acceptable," he added.

The row comes after one of Ms May's most challenging weeks, where both her Brexit secretary David Davis, and Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, quit the cabinet rather than back her Brexit plans.

On Sunday, Mr Davis accused the prime minister of “astonishing dishonesty” over Brexit.

The possibility of further resignations looms as junior minister Robert Couts resigned on Sunday, and Brexiteers have indicated more would follow over the PM’s plans set out in her white paper.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG), played down suggestions that the group was trying to topple Ms May, saying she still had time to change course on her proposals.

However, the threat to her authority was made clear by reports that Brexiteers had set up a Whatsapp group to co-ordinate voting tactics, organised by ex-Brexit minister Steve Baker, who quit over the Chequers plan.

The Daily Telegraph reported more than 100 MPs had joined the group - more than double the 48 needed to submit letters of no confidence in the prime minister to force a leadership contest.

Ms May has said she understands the strength of feelings driving the Brexit debate but her plan offered the only workable solution to maintain "frictionless" trade with the EU and avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland, while allowing the UK to strike trade deals around the world.