Summary

  • A day of calls from many Conservatives for Theresa May to quit as PM ends with a cabinet departure

  • Commons leader Andrea Leadsom quits her post, saying she no longer believes the government's approach will deliver Brexit

  • The prime minister tells Mrs Leadsom she is sorry to lose someone of her "passion, drive and sincerity in this way"

  • Mrs May had earlier set out her plan for a "new Brexit deal" designed to unite MPs

  • But it has been met with criticism from all sides

  • Labour, the SNP, DUP and Lib Dems have all said they won't back it

  • Tory Brexiteers are particularly angry at the offer of another referendum contained in the bill

  1. That's all for this eveningpublished at 22:56 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    Theresa MayImage source, Reuters

    After a tumultuous day in which her Commons leader resigned from the cabinet amid feverish speculation about her own future, Theresa May remains prime minister - for now.

    As we bring the live page to a close, here is a summary of what happened today:

    • Commons leader Andrea Leadsom quit the cabinet, saying she no longer believes the government's approach will deliver Brexit
    • It followed a growing backlash against Theresa May's new Brexit plan from MPs within her own party
    • As the pressure grew over the course of the day, several cabinet ministers told the BBC that the PM cannot stay, with one saying it is "the end of the line"
    • But with speculation growing that Theresa May might resign, sources told the BBC that Chief Whip Julian Smith informed backbench Tory MPs that the PM was not standing down
    • Mrs May looks set to spend tomorrow campaigning for the European Parliament elections before meeting Sir Graham Brady - the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee - on Friday.

    You can read the full story of the PM's turbulent day here.

    You can read analysis of her attempts to hang on to power here.

  2. Thursday's front pages: 'May besieged in No10 as Leadsom resigns and her Cabinet revolts'published at 22:53 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    Daily Telegraph

    Daily Telegraph front page - 23/05/19Image source, Daily Telegraph
  3. Thursday's front pages: 'Tearesa'published at 22:53 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    The Sun

    Sun front page - 23/05/19Image source, The Sun
  4. Thursday's front pages: 'May retreats to her bunker'published at 22:47 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    Metro

    Metro front page - 23/05/19Image source, Metro
  5. Thursday's front pages: 'End of the road'published at 22:44 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    Daily Mail

    Daily Mail front page - 23/05/19Image source, Daily Mail
  6. Thursday's front pages: 'May prepares to quit after cabinet mutiny'published at 22:44 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    The Times

    The Times front page - 23/05/19Image source, The Times
  7. Thursday's front pages: 'Barricaded inside No 10, May clings on to power'published at 22:35 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    The Guardian

    The Guardian front page - 23/05/19Image source, The Guardian
  8. Thursday's front pages: 'Cabinet coup: Prime Minister in hiding'published at 22:31 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    The i

    I front page - 23/05/19Image source, The i
  9. May's letter to Leadsom in fullpublished at 22:23 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    We now have a copy of the full letter sent by Theresa May to Andrea Leadsom following the Commons leader's resignation.

    The PM thanks Mrs Leadsom for her work in government while disagreeing with her assessment of the government's position on Brexit.

    The letter from Theresa May to Andrea LeadsomImage source, Downing Street
    The letter from Theresa May to Andrea LeadsomImage source, Downing Street
  10. 'Secret ballot' on leadership rulespublished at 22:17 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    ITV political correspondent tweets...

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  11. Thursday's front pages: 'Tears in the back seat 2'published at 22:11 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    Daily Mirror

    Daily Mirror front page - 23/05/19Image source, Daily Mirror
  12. Thursday's front pages: 'May's premiership enters final days as cabinet revolts over Brexit'published at 22:07 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    Financial Times

    Financial Times front page - 23/05/19Image source, Financial Times
  13. No 10 'considering pulling Withdrawal Agreement Bill'published at 21:57 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    Will there be any more resignations over the Withdrawal Agreement Bill?

    The Telegraph's deputy political editor says there may not need to be because No 10 is now considering pulling the bill in view of the widespread opposition to it across the House of Commons.

    The vote on it had been expected to happen on 7 June.

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  14. Thursday's front pages: 'How much more can she take?'published at 21:50 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    Daily Express

    Daily Express front page - 23/05/19Image source, Daily Express
  15. Watch: Some colleagues are 'living in a world of fantasy'published at 21:41 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    The pro-Remain Conservative MP Dominic Grieve has been speaking to the BBC about Andrea Leadsom's resignation.

    He says some of his colleagues have been "living in a world of fantasy" when it comes to Brexit.

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  16. Will May meet ministers tomorrow?published at 21:30 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    Jeremy HuntImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Theresa May could meet the foreign secretary tomorrow

    In a sign of unrest at the highest levels of the Tory party, a series of cabinet ministers asked for meetings with Mrs May today to raise their concerns about the Withdrawal Agreement Bill.

    Downing Street sources told the Press Association it was possible that the PM could meet Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Thursday, but there was no confirmation that an audience would be granted for other ministers with reservations about the plan.

    Home Secretary Sajid Javid has asked for a meeting to discuss his concerns about the prospect of a second referendum, after Mrs May revealed she would grant MPs a vote on whether the Brexit deal should be put to the public.

  17. Resignations per PM - how does May compare?published at 21:20 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    Theresa May has experienced more cabinet resignations than any prime minister since the beginning of Margaret Thatcher's reign - and in a much shorter time.

    Resignations chart
  18. EU elections polls open in nine hourspublished at 21:13 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    With all of this drama in Westminster ongoing, it would be easy to forget about the little matter of the European elections.

    As ITV political correspondent Paul Brand points out, the polls for the elections open in less than nine hours.

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  19. PM 'hadn't told team of resignation'published at 21:08 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    But the BBC's political editor responds to Mr Loughton, saying that it seems Theresa May, at least at first, did not inform her team of Mrs Leadsom's impending resignation.

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  20. Leadsom had 'perfectly courteous' conversation with PMpublished at 21:03 British Summer Time 22 May 2019

    The Conservative MP Tim Loughton has shed a little more light on the conversation Andrea Leadsom had with Theresa May, insisting it was "perfectly courteous".

    There had been suggestion earlier from The Sun's political editor, Tom Newton-Dunn, that Mrs Leadsom had resigned without letting the PM know in advance - a fact he corrected in a later tweet.

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