Brexit: Second referendum or revoking Article 50 'on the table', resigning Conservative minister admits

'Anything from here, as far as they [Brexiteers] are concerned, gets softer in terms of Brexit,' says former health minister

An ex-minister has suggested revoking Article 50 or a second referendum are "on the table", after Theresa May suffered another humiliating Brexit defeat.

The comments from Steve Brine come after he joined two other ministers who resigned on Monday, and dozens of Conservative rebels to vote to remove control of the parliamentary process over Brexit from the prime minister to MPs.

It is expected that MPs will now stage a series of Wednesday, testing support among MPs for a series of different Brexit routes, including a customs union, a second referendum, a no-deal scenario, and revoking Article 50.

The former health minister also hinted he now believed the vote last night - paving the way for "indicative" Brexit votes - could persuade Brexiteer Conservatives fearing a softer exit from the bloc, to back Ms May's Brexit deal.

Speaking to the BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he warned: "Anything from here, as far as they are concerned, gets softer in terms of Brexit."

Mr Brine continued: "If the House of Commons just simply cannot come up with anything to move us out of this then everything is on the table.

"You have to accept that a second referendum or revoking Article 50 are on the table because they will probably be some options."

In recent days a petition demanding the revocation of the Article 50 process has amassed over 5.6m, making it the most popular petition on parliament's website.

Referring to the issue of indicative votes Matt Hancock, the health and social care secretary, said: "Clearly, it's incumbent on the government to listen to what the Commons says.

"But we can't pre-commit to following whatever they vote for, because they might vote for something that is completely impractical."

Richard Harrington, who also resigned from government on Monday evening as business minister, said he did not believe revoking Article 50 was a likely path.

"If that were the case then I think it would be very plausible for the prime minister then to say I don't want this because this is totally different from the last time the public were consulted in the first referendum.

"Therefore, I feel it would be very legitimate before taking such a dramatic move as revoking Article 50 to have another referendum, to see where the public are at.

The third minister to resign, Alistair Burt, issued a statement on his website explaining his decision, but insisted he continued to support Ms May and the government.

He said: "Despite the best and determined efforts of the prime minister, her agreement with the EU continues to be rejected by parliament. We are running out of time for an alternative, and the risk of leaving without a deal, and continuing serious and disruptive uncertainty is affecting the UK profoundly.

"Parliament should seek urgently to resolve the situation by considering alternatives freely, without the instruction of party whips, and the government should adopt any feasible outcome as its own in order progress matters.

"I did not believe the government was prepared to do that that, so had to vote to ensure this happens."