Brexit - as it happened: Tories turn on 'insolent' Rees-Mogg after Brexiteer threatens open revolt against May
Follow for the latest updates from Westminster
Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK
Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight
Theresa May has been mocked for failing to secure unity within her own cabinet on Brexit as Tory infighting spilled out into the open ahead of a crunch meeting on Friday.
Jeremy Corbyn questioned how Ms May could get a Brexit deal if she could not get her ministers in line, and warned that cabinet infighting was having a "debilitating effect" on jobs and business.
It comes as senior Tories piled in to criticise Jacob Rees-Mogg for "insolence" after the leading Eurosceptic fired off a warning over Ms May's Brexit strategy.
Mr Rees-Mogg, who chairs the European Research Group of pro-Brexit backbench Tories, said she must deliver the Brexit she promised or risk collapsing the government, ahead of crunch cabinet talks at her Chequers retreat on Friday.
Foreign office minister Alan Duncan accused him of "insolence" towards the prime minister, while Alistair Burt, another FCO minister, tweeted: "Enough. Just tired of this endless threat and counter threat. Why don’t we want the best for the U.K. than for our own ideological cliques?"
His comments also attracted criticism from respected backbenchers, such as health committee chair Sarah Wollaston and Tory grandee Sir Nicholas Soames, who told his Tory colleague to "shut up".
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies