THERESA May will find it difficult to cling to power if many more ministers quit, Poole’s MP has said.

Brexit supporter Sir Robert Syms said he personally backed the EU withdrawal agreement which the cabinet backed yesterday and supported the prime minister.

But this morning, Mrs May’s government has suffered the resignations of Brexit secretary Domninic Raab and work and pensions secretary Esther McVey, as well as two junior ministers.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the European Research Group of MPs, has submitted a letter calling for a vote of no-confidence in Mrs May as Conservative leader. If 47 other MPs follow suit, she would face a vote.

Sir Robert said he had read the 585-page withdrawal agreement negotiated with the European Union and had spoken to the attorney general.

He said: “I still think it’s quite a good basis for leaving and still think it’s better than no deal. But clearly some members of the cabinet and other junior ministers feel it’s something they can’t support.

“I’m not quite sure how things are going to pan out. My guess is if quite a lot of ministers go, it will be difficult for Theresa to hang on in there.”

But he added: “I think it still has broad support from a lot of people in the party.”

He said if the agreement failed, Britain could leave the EU without a deal. “I’d prefer that to staying but it will be a bumpy road,” he said.

As Theresa May faced hostile questioning from both sides of the House of Commons, South Dorset MP Richard Drax claimed it was “not the case” that Britain would leave the EU next March if the government deal was approved.

Questioning Mrs May after she made a statement to the House, he said: “My right honourable friend tells the House that at the end of March 2019, we’re going to leave the EU. We’ve also heard from herself and from both sides of the House that, actually, that is not the case.

 “Worse about this deal, and with due respect to my right honourable friend, we have no unilateral way of leaving and worse still there is no incentive there at all for the EU to let us go.”

Mrs May replied: “We will be leaving the European Union on March 29, 2019. After that date, we will no long be a member of the European Union.

“Yes, we have agreed in the transition period that the way we operate with the European Union will continue very much as it is today and that is in order to ensure that there is no cliff edge for business at the point of March 29 so that business can adapt to the changes that come in relation to our future relationship.”

Ian Girling, chief executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, repeated his call for clarity.

He said:"Whatever their view, the majority of businesses want a smooth, orderly and transparent Brexit which protects jobs and supply chains while giving them the certainty needed to invest and grow.

“I urge Theresa May and all MPs to consider their actions very carefully over the coming days and weeks to set aside politics and act in the national interest.

“The Dorset Chamber will be adding its voice to others in the British Chambers of Commerce to make business concerns heard in the corridors of power at Westminster.

“We will also be providing information and support to Dorset businesses about Brexit and the implications of developments as they happen.

“Lack of certainty over Brexit has become a fact of life of business but the sooner we know where we stand the sooner we can all get on with our day jobs: growing our businesses, driving the economy and creating wealth for our communities.”

Dominic Raab announced his resignation as Brexit secretary shortly before 9am.

Mr Raab, who only took over in the summer after David Davis resigned in protest over the Prime Minister’s withdrawal strategy, said he “cannot in good conscience support the terms proposed for our deal with the EU”.

His surprise departure came amid a furious backlash from Brexit-backing Tories to the deal agreed by UK and EU negotiators four months ahead of the UK’s scheduled withdrawal on March 29.

Esther McVey became the second cabinet minister to quit after resigning as work and pensions secretary.

Hours earlier, Shailesh Vara had quit as minister of state for Northern Ireland, saying Mrs May’s agreement, “leaves the UK in a halfway house with no time limit on when we will finally be a sovereign nation”.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Raab said the deal represented a “very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom” because of provisions for Northern Ireland.

He also said he could not accept “an indefinite backstop arrangement” for the Irish border.

He said: “No democratic nation has ever signed up to be bound by such an extensive regime, imposed externally without any democratic control over the laws to be applied, nor the ability to decide to exit the arrangement.”

 

Mr Raab added: “Above all, I cannot reconcile the terms of the proposed deal with the promises we made to the country in our manifesto at the last election.

“This is, at its heart, a matter of public trust.”

The resignations came as European Council president Donald Tusk announced an extraordinary meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on November 25, at which the withdrawal agreement and a political declaration on future relations will be finalised and formalised.

Westminster is braced for further resignations, amid widespread expectations that the Prime Minister may face a challenge to her position from Conservative MPs submitting letters of no confidence in her leadership.