Theresa May clings on after Boris Johnson quits amid torrid day of Brexit conflict

Mr Johnson said the prime minister's plans for negotiating with Europe equated to going into battle with 'white flags fluttering'

Theresa May is clinging on to power following the dramatic resignation of Boris Johnson and a bruising 24 hours of conflict with Tory Brexiteers.

Mr Johnson became the third minister to quit in the space of a day, accusing Ms May of pursuing a Brexit that would lock Britain into “the status of colony”.

In a scathing letter, he said her plans for negotiating with Europe decided at Chequers last week equated to going into battle with “white flags fluttering”.

But despite the resignations and the looming threat of a “vote of no confidence”, Ms May survived the day and finished it with a swipe at Mr Johnson, in which she appeared to question his motives for quitting.

After David Davis left his job as Brexit secretary just before midnight on Sunday, speculation grew as to whether there would be a slew of resignations, bringing down the government.

He had been followed by fellow Brexit minister Steve Baker, but it was not until 3pm on Monday, when it emerged that Mr Johnson was walking, that Ms May looked at her most precarious.

It was claimed that Downing Street leaked news of his resignation before he could write his letter, which the prime minister’ aides guessed would be wounding.

When it came it said: “Brexit should be about opportunity and hope. It should be a chance to do things differently, to be more nimble and dynamic, and to maximise the particular advantages of the UK as an open, outward looking global economy.

“The dream is dying, suffocated by needles doubt.”

It is as though we are sending our vanguard into battle with the white flags fluttering above them

Ex-foreign secretary Boris Johnson

He said the country appeared to be heading for a “semi Brexit” under Ms May, with large parts of the economy “locked in the EU system” and accepting that “we are not actually going to be able to make our own laws”.

Mr Johnson added: “In that respect we are truly headed for the status of colony.”

Concentrating his fire on Ms May’s proposals, agreed last Friday by the cabinet, including himself, he said: “What is even more disturbing is that this is our opening bid. This already how we see the end state for the UK – before the other side has made its counter offer.

“It is as though we are sending our vanguard into battle with the white flags fluttering above them.”

He acknowledged that after months of open conflict, Ms May’s proposals meant the cabinet now has “a song to sing”.

But he said: “The trouble is that I have practised the words over the weekend and find that they stick in the throat.”

Stories emerged that Mr Johnson had toasted the deal at Chequers on Friday along with other ministers.

But The Independent understands he was later told in no uncertain terms that he would not get the backing of pro-Brexit MPs for any leadership bid if he stayed in post and backed the PM’s plans.

It is likely why, in her letter responding to his resignation at the end of the day, Ms May wrote: “I am sorry – and a little surprised – to receive [your resignation] after the productive discussions we had at Chequers on Friday.”

Ms May was quick to replace Mr Davis with fellow Brexiteer Dominic Raab, and later announced that health secretary Jeremy Hunt would move to the Foreign Office to take Mr Johnson’s old job.

The ex-London mayor’s departure was announced 30 minutes before the prime minister was due to give a statement on her plans in the commons, where she faced a strident Jeremy Corbyn mocking her cabinet.

Eurosceptic Tory backbencher Peter Bone led the attack from Tory Brexiteers, telling how activists in his Wellingborough constituency refused to campaign at the weekend because they felt “betrayed”.

But she insisted her deal fulfilled the promises of the Tory manifesto to deliver an independent Britain, able to take back control of its laws, borders and money, declaring: “This is not a betrayal.”

Despite cheers from loyal MPs in the commons, rumours swirled that Tory plotters were garnering enough letters, with 48 needed under Conservative party rules, to spark a vote of no confidence in Ms May.

Earlier in the day, Morley and Outwood MP Andrea Jenkyns said she believed her time as prime minister was “over”, while others had already called for Jacob Rees-Mogg to take her place.

But despite repeated claims that it was “pretty certain” enough letters had been gathered, they never materialised.

One Conservative insider close to the party process told The independent: “Whoever is saying that there are now 48 is talking bo**ocks.

“There are not enough letters, and that is evident by the fact that the process has not yet begun. A lot of the time when people tell colleagues they are going to write a letter, they actually don’t.”

After the commons Ms May headed to a meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee, which could have given the Brexiteer rebels the perfect opportunity to confront her.

One left the meeting claiming there had been a “remainer coup”, but the packed room saw her cheered on by MPs who apparently were happy to have a cabinet now finally coalescing behind a plan.

Party chair Brandon Lewis said afterwards: “It was really positive in the room and very positive to the actions that she has taken.”

One cabinet minister said that half a dozen people who spoke at the meeting raised the prospect of a Jeremy Corbyn government, unless the party pulled together.

Even Mr Rees-Mogg said he did not think there would be a confidence vote, also claiming he did not know resignations were going to happen until they did.

But he added: “The striking thing about Chequers is that as far as one can tell, the cabinet divided between remainers and leavers in exactly the same way as they were two years ago.

“And so you see those who supported remain two years ago, are supporting ‘quazi-remain’ now, and that’s a very big concern.”

There was also a final warning for the prime minister, whose officials had also briefed Labour MPs on her Brexit plans on Monday.

Mr Rees-Mogg said: “There is one issue of major concern and that is that the government is briefing Labour members of parliament.

“If the government plans to get the Chequers deal through on the back of Labour party votes, that would be the most divisive thing it could do and it would be a split coming from the top, not from the members of the Conservative party across the country.”