On the go: Esther McVey has resigned as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, declaring that she was unable to support Prime Minister Theresa May's draft EU withdrawal agreement.
The Brexit-supporting MP for Tatton announced she was quitting the cabinet on Thursday morning, the day after ministers were presented with proposed terms.
In her letter to May, McVey wrote; "The deal you put before the Cabinet yesterday does not honour the result of the referendum. Indeed, it doesn't meet the tests you set from the outset of your premiership."
A key sticking point in the agreement for Brexiteers has been the use of a 'backstop' of effective customs union membership, to ensure no hard border is installed between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland or in the Irish Sea, in the event that a solution cannot be found.
McVey reportedly demanded a cabinet vote on the deal, which was rejected by cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill.
Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and three junior ministers also quit, dealing a severe blow to hopes of avoiding a no-deal Brexit and to the longevity of May's premiership. Sterling dipped sharply against the dollar on the news.
The resignation leaves the top spot at the Department for Work and Pensions vacant for the fifth time since Iain Duncan Smith quit in 2016. The DWP is expected to push through a large pensions bill in late 2019 and is currently consulting on a wide range of changes to the regulatory environment.
