Senior Tory MPs are calling for their chief whip Julian Smith to resign (Image: GETTY)
A group of senior Tories have called for chief whip Julian Smith to accept culpability for a series of devastating Parliamentary losses over Brexit. Mr Smith’s role is to ensure his party wins a majority. The power broker must now “carry the can” not just for Tuesday’s historic Brexit deal defeat, but also many more humiliating losses over the past year, the Conservatives have argued.
Insiders claimed on Tuesday Mr Smith’s predecessor – Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson – had to frequently step in to unite Tory backbenchers and Mrs May’s DUP allies.
As a result, some Tories are now urging Mr Smith to “be considering his position”.
One senior Tory told The Sun: “The chief whip has been flying by the seat of his pants for some time and if the scale of last night’s defeat came as a surprise to the Prime Minister then he should really be considering his position.”
One insider accused the chief whip – labelled a “bedwetter” by Brexiteers last year - of “taking his eye off the ball” and shunning his own MPs in evenings around Westminster.
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Theresa May delivering her address before the historic Brexit
