Andrea Leadsom resigns in 'plot to replace Theresa May as Prime Minister'

Andrea Leadsom dramatically quit the Cabinet last night, blasting Theresa May's Brexit strategy and effectively launching a campaign to replace her.

The Leader of the House of Commons resigned in protest after the Prime Minister committed to giving MPs a vote on a possible second Brexit referendum.

In her resignation letter, Mrs Leadsom wrote: 'I no longer believe that our approach will deliver on the referendum result.' 

Allies last night said she had warned Mrs May at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that she could not accept her latest Brexit offer.

After the PM went ahead regardless, the Commons leader yesterday telephoned Mrs May to tell her she was quitting before posting her resignation letter on social media. 

She is the 36th ministerial resignation since Mrs May became Prime Minister almost three years ago.

Mrs Leadsom ran for the party leadership in 2016 but pulled out of the race, handing Mrs May the keys to Downing Street.

A fortnight ago she announced she was 'seriously considering' standing again. In her letter, Mrs Leadsom signalled that she believed it was now time for the PM to go. 

She wrote: 'No one has wanted you to succeed more than I have, but I do now urge you to make the right decisions in the interests of the country, this Government and our party.'

Some Tory MPs last night claimed her decision to quit could boost her standing with Brexiteers in the party. But others criticised her timing just hours before voters go to the polls in the European elections.

In her resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Mrs Leadsom wrote that she had decided to leave Government with 'great regret and with a heavy heart'.

She described how she had wanted to 'shape and fight for Brexit' despite some 'uncomfortable compromises along the way'. 

But Mrs Leadsom said she could

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