an in the today at five — we're at westminster — where the foreign secretary has resigned in protest at the prime minister's approach to brexit strategy. borisjohnson is the second senior minister to resign from theresa may's cabinet in the space of under 2a hours. on and onjo on and on jo johnson on and onjojohnson in the next hour. his departure follows the resignation of the brexit secretary, david davis, late last night he said the prime minister's brexit plan left britain in a ‘weak‘ position. i was the person who had two presented to parliament and the european union and everyone else and ifi european union and everyone else and if i don't believe in it, i would rather give the job to someone who does believe in it. the latest on that developing story with huw over the next hour and with me shaun ley, the other main stories on bbc news at 5. four more boys have been successfully rescued

from caves in thailand — they're being evacuated by air before ambulances transfer them to hospital. the home secretary is due to update mps on what's become a murder inquiry — after dawn stu rg ess, exposed to the novichok nerve agent in wiltshire, died in hospital. prince louis is christened by the archbishop of canterburyjustin welby at st james‘ palace. the queen and the duke of edinburgh weree not at the ceremony. and in wimbledon — serena williams wins against rodina to reach the final eight while roger federer beats adrian mannarino to make it to the men's quarter finals. it's 5 o'clock. our main story is the resignation of the foreign secretary — borisjohnson — the second senior minister to resign from

theresa may's government — in the space of 2a hours following the departure of david davis as brexit secretary overnight. the resignation of mrjohnson has fuelled more speculation about the future of mrs may's leadership. number 10 say she will fight any attempt to oust her. the latest events have taken place just days after the prime minister secured a ha rd—won agreement in cabinet — on the brexit process. mr davis said he couldn't support theresa may's latest brexit plan — saying it gave away too much to the eu too quickly. but the prime minister who's due to meet conservative mps in the next hour — told the commons her approach was the right one. and the only practical one for the

uk ifjobs were to be secured. were to be secured. labour say the government is in chaos. a very divisive atmosphere here at westminster, you can probably hear some campaigners shouting about the brexit process. what is the latest from chris mason, we might we see the latest from the foreign secretary? i am outside carlton gardens, the official residence of the foreign secretary. there is a stakeout going on here since 730 this morning. in the last couple of minutes, one of his official cars left. he is no longer in the government so left. he is no longer in the government so we left. he is no longer in the government so we would not expect a huge number of outriders to be with

him when he does finally leave. i suspect we could hear for —— from him shortly about the exchange of letters, the communication that will be released about his letter to the prime minister and her return letter to him. he has been holed up in the house all day with not a word from him except that an announcement a few hours ago from downing street that he was leaving. we understand that he was leaving. we understand that he was leaving. we understand that he communicated he would be resigning today but the timing was complicated as he was still in the process of writing the resignation letter which we assume he is still doing as well as packing up his belongings before he heads to the backbenches. the question will be does the head to parliament from here? there is a meeting due to get away —— to get in tray not all that

long from now. it is fascinating that number ten has already made it known that the prime minister will fight on if there is a decision to declare a no confidence in herfrom mps. this is perhaps what they suspect boris johnson mps. this is perhaps what they suspect borisjohnson and others are up suspect borisjohnson and others are ? suspect borisjohnson and others are up to? quite. the very fact they are willing to engage with that question tells you everything you need to know about what is happening today and how that is a real prospect that might be enough letters have been sent to the chairman of the 1922 committee, he is the keeper of the letters. if the number of letters reaches a8, that triggers a vote of confidence and the prime minister. this afternoon downing street was willing to entertain a hypothetical number of letters being reached and

an announcement is number of letters being reached and an announcement is made that there will be a vote of confidence which tells you everything, they are preparing for that exact eventuality. there are whispers that that magic number may have been arrived at. so defiance from the prime minister on two fronts. absolute determination as things stand this afternoon to stick with the chequers plan that was agreed, 01’ so the chequers plan that was agreed, or so they thought with the cabinet a couple of days ago. even if that might rely on the support of opposition mps to get it through. in itself that is very irritating to some conservative brexiteers. secondly, if that number of letters is arrived at, a8, and if that is a vote of confidence, she intends to fight on. as she stood this morning, there were a good number of mps who we re there were a good number of mps who were willing to entertain the idea that a8 might be arrived at as

numbered to trigger the process but the prime minister might still yet have the numbers in our vote amongst oui’ have the numbers in our vote amongst ourmps to have the numbers in our vote amongst our mps to carry on. but who knows? things are moving so quickly, it is tricky to predict what will happen in the next hour let alone fast forwarding into the deep future of a couple of days ahead from where we are right now. absolutely right. we will be back with chris mason straightaway if borisjohnson appears there at his —— at the official residence of the foreign secretary. as i see are very frantic atmosphere at westminster today with atmosphere at westminster today with a sense of things moving although no one is sure where they are moving. 0liver started late last night when david davis the brexit secretary resigned. that triggered, later on today as we know, the resignation of

the foreign secretary, borisjohnson with all the talk of our potential leadership challenge. we will talk to laura kuenssberg later on about what the numbers are seeing on the conservative backbenchers. just to reca ptu re conservative backbenchers. just to recapture on the fast events, here is jonathan blake recapture on the fast events, here isjonathan blake our political correspondent. are you confident today, mr davis? for two years, david david has been the uk's man in brussels, leading the negotiations with the european union that would shape the uk's future outside it. but at the prime minister's country residence on friday, the drive in the last week in this white paper was primarily number 10, rather than my department. that's fair enough, it's not the first time that's been a debate by a long margin. as you say, i lost the argument. the point being, it's notjust that

i lose the argument in something which is in somebody else's department, orsomething that is general collective responsibility, the point is that i was the person who had to present it to parliament, to the european union, to everybody else. if i don't believe in it, i won't do as good a job as somebody that does believe in it. 0ther ministers with reservations appear to be holding firm but the question was where was boris? yet not left his official residence and had missed appointments. as the prime minister left downing street to update mps, it was confirmed as borisjohnson had to update mps, it was confirmed as boris johnson had also to update mps, it was confirmed as borisjohnson had also quit. to update mps, it was confirmed as borisjohnson had also quiti to update mps, it was confirmed as boris johnson had also quit. i want to pay tribute to my right honourable friend is, the members for howden and uxbridge and south ruislip. —— friends. for howden and uxbridge and south ruislip. -- friends. theresa may

could not ignore those missing from the front bench but went on to defend her brexit plan. in the two yea rs defend her brexit plan. in the two years since the referendum, we have had a spirited national debate. with robust views echoing around the cabinet table as they have on brea kfast ta bles cabinet table as they have on breakfast tables in the country. i have listened to every possible idea over that time and every version of brexit but this is the right brexit. jeremy corbyn said the government was in crisis. at such a crucial time for our country in these vital negotiations, we need a government thatis negotiations, we need a government that is capable of governing and negotiating for britain. for the good of this country and its people, the government needs to get its act together and do it quickly. if it cannot, make way for those who can. this man, dominic raab,

will be the new brexit secretary. a promotion for the former housing minister. 0nce once again theresa may's grip on power is in the balance. lots of comings and goings here today. here at the new palace of westminster where are political correspondent is, that is where a lot of mps have their offices. what are you hearing there about the likely make up of numbers on their conservative backbenches, given that people are talking about factions and who may not want to use a to stay on?” think there are different views. what has united many who voted for brexit is their opposition is her statement in the commons this

afternoon, they do not like the idea ofa afternoon, they do not like the idea of a common rule book. some believe she has breached the manifesto. they are still divided on tactics. i have spoken to a conservative mp who is going to put a letter in. a letter will go into the chairman of the backbench1922 committee. that letter would call in, if there are a8 of them that will be enough to trigger a vote on whether to have a leadership: —— contest. this will mean she will have to fight for her job. i spoke to one mp who will be putting in a letter and another who will be putting into letter. whether they reach this magic a8 number, i cannot confirm but this meeting of the backbench committee, the 1922

committee, listening to theresa may in halfan committee, listening to theresa may in half an hour or so will be crucial to our prospects. immediately afterwards the brexit european research group will meet at the house of commons and try to decide the way forward. before we get fixated on the numbers and a leadership contest, it is the case that many people who oppose the prime minister on brexit have other ways to try and get her to change her policy. 0ne ways to try and get her to change her policy. one was to encourage ministers to resign, they are up to two so far. downing street do not believe anyone else is likely to fall borisjohnson believe anyone else is likely to fall boris johnson tonight. believe anyone else is likely to fall borisjohnson tonight. the other thing big trend to do, they are private discussions, is to go on strike and not support their own government's brexit legislation u nless government's brexit legislation unless she says she is willing to change her sedans. it is something ofa change her sedans. it is something of a stand—off. downing street sources have said they have no intention of changing that chequers

agreement on the european union. this could lead to a clash and could lead some people who have held off so lead some people who have held off so far to say, let us put the pressure on and put in those letters to trigger a vote of no—confidence in our leader. just very quickly, do you expect borisjohnson to attend this conservative mps meeting in a short while or not? we do not know. we have still to hear about the exchange of letters and why he resigned at this stage. clearly that could be potentially explosive. there is also a meeting of the european research group immediately afterwards so plenty of opportunities if he wanted a willing and receptive audience. if there we re and receptive audience. if there were more resignations at cabinet level, a few names have been thrown about already, with the prime minister survive that or not?” think it is a question of critical

mass. at the moment downing street believed she would and have these themselves or resignations. they say they will have a replacement foreign secretary and ends tonight and they are making it clear in the markets have not moved. they are putting on a brave face, saying this might still be a a8—hour wonder. some people are sticking the knife into borisjohnson, suggesting people are sticking the knife into boris johnson, suggesting the people are sticking the knife into borisjohnson, suggesting the fight he went second might rule him out as a future leadership contender. all these things are swirling around at these things are swirling around at the moment. they hope containable and theresa may will fight if there isa and theresa may will fight if there is a challenge. they cannot say if she is confident of winning, they just see, we do not think we are there yet and they do not believe anyone else's following boris johnson out the door tonight but no predictions in the long term. the white paper is yet to appear on the

policy. another tactic by brexiteers is to try and get the government to publish the white paper which david davis would have produced. ijust wonder if that governments might lea k wonder if that governments might leak and will be a rallying point foran leak and will be a rallying point for an alternative policy to that of the prime minister. that has been talked about this evening amongst those who are long—standing leave campaigners. it is even more accommodated than we thought. we shall return of that is any developments. 0ur correspondent in portcullis house. i have beenjoined by the labour deputy leader with his thoughts about what is going on. thank you forjoining us. what about the prime minister's statement, she was forthright and said she was correct and had the right formula andi correct and had the right formula and i will press ahead with it, do you commend her with pressing ahead with its? obviously she's trying to put her case. the problem is it is

high drama with fast—moving events but remember this is a sad day for the country. these are the most important negotiations facing this country since the second world war. we have seen two cabinet members disagreeing and effectively voting no confidence in the prime minister's readership. there are letters going in for a leadership election. the tories might have air inta kes election. the tories might have air intakes going on but for people out there whose jobs depend on this, it isa there whose jobs depend on this, it is a tragedy. we need to see these negotiations back on track. we need strong leadership and it seems to me this government is in meltdown and i can see no way they will get out of it. and seeing what you just said, the reason lots of these people have concerns about the current package

is precisely because they do not think it brings economic benefit. they do not believe it puts britain ina they do not believe it puts britain in a position to trade freely and be in control of its own destiny, as they see it, so they would say to a nswer they see it, so they would say to answer those points they are disagreeing, what do you think about that? you are talking about disagreements but we need a united tea m disagreements but we need a united team to deal with these negotiations. jeremy corbyn said today, get your act together or ticket to the country and let the country decide because we are seeing the fact that theresa may does not lead a majority in parliament and if she does not lead a majority, her authority has gone. if she cannot get that back, this country is invalid terrible economic time and we need to put that right. what would a general election did to the

stability of the brexit process, it would destroy its? we did not create these conditions. borisjohnson and david davies did. also to leave me with her inability to unite her cabinet around her. if she cannot unite the cabinets, how can she unite the cabinets, how can she unite the cabinets, how can she unite the country around this brexit deal which is the tragedy unfolding. todayis deal which is the tragedy unfolding. today is the date it is happening. i cannot see what she does to get this on track. people watching, your opponents, will say given the divisions in labour, if they were in power are trying to put through a brexit policy, you would be experiencing the same kind of turbulence that this government is having? we have had our rows and severe divisions in recent years but actually, i know is to be the most united we have been with kier starmer leading our brexit strategy

and jeremy uniting the party round a position. we could actually have a united position and that is something worth playing for a tragedy for me is we are in opposition. all we can do is suggest a way forward to the prime minister, we gave a way forward for the customs union and she came up with the bespoke and alawites system —— and alawites system. we can see why there are flaws in her plan. we can see why ministers are worried but it is important to get peace talks back on track because peoples jobs rely on track because peoples jobs rely on this. -- get these talks. so your m essa 9 es on this. -- get these talks. so your m essa g es to on this. -- get these talks. so your messages to get the talks back on track and not talk about election? u nfortu nately, if we track and not talk about election? unfortunately, if we say to theresa may, if you do not have the authority to lead your party and this government you should go. i do

not know what is going on behind the scenes with the conservative party, we have heard the media, there are helicopters flying above, the tory party is in meltdown. all i can see very firmly is this is no good for anybody, particularly the workers. their livelihood depends on this. you are trapped —— challenging the prime minister to go, the focus of their brexit talks will disappear without our conservative government, if you are talking about stability, that seems to be the least stable way to go. she has lost two ministers, how can you sit round a table and get a good dealfor brexit now. no one wants to be in this position. if theresa may cannot sort it, we need someone who can. thank you very much forjoining us. labour's deputy leader with his

thoughts on today's rather lively and controversial events. really hinting on the two major resignations from theresa may's cabinet today. in the early hours, david davies decided he could not support the prime minister's planned to go ahead with the brexit process. borisjohnson, to go ahead with the brexit process. boris johnson, foreign secretary, resigned this afternoon. we are still waiting to see borisjohnson. we're still waiting to hear from heaven and get an explanation from heaven and get an explanation from heaven of precisely why he has decided to step away from one of the most seniorjobs in government at such a critical time in this brexit process. “— such a critical time in this brexit process. —— exhalation from heaven. that is before we have even started to talk about the conservancy at around the leadership itself. this is the official residence of the foreign secretary is essential in

london, not farfrom foreign secretary is essential in london, not far from st james's park. this is where we understand borisjohnson still is with advisers. we expect him to emerge soon. advisers. we expect him to emerge soon. whether he will attend the meeting of conservative mps at westminster shortly, we do not know. that could make for a very lively meeting in deed. we will have to wait and see whether that happens. with that in mind, we think about whether the foreign secretary will appearand whether the foreign secretary will appear and say something. let us put that in conflict —— in context. my colleague has been reflecting on the career of borisjohnson so far. colleague has been reflecting on the career of boris johnson so far.l showman never short of an opinion. borisjohnson made showman never short of an opinion. boris johnson made from showman never short of an opinion. borisjohnson made from a surprising foreign secretary but as he travelled the world, batting for britain, the result was that? about how comfortable he felt into use as team. why? because of brexit of

course. this is a once—in—a—lifetime chance. during the eu referendum he became the face of the league campaign. after agonising over which side to back, he embodies the case for leaving the eu. in the political turmoil following the vote, david cameron quit, the catering a role mr johnson had always craved. his hope of becoming prime minister crumbled and mike —— when michael gove pulled his support. in view of the circumstances in parliament, i have concluded that person be me. circumstances in parliament, i have concluded that person be mem circumstances in parliament, i have concluded that person be me. it was a huge blow that borisjohnson then found himself appointed to one of the biggestjobs in government by the biggestjobs in government by the new prime minister theresa may. what would you say to those who are unhappy with your new foreign secretary? boris johnson became the

most powerful flag carrier for the leave campaign around the cabinet table and was always ready to make his opinion known. the sums i have seen his opinion known. the sums i have seen that the proposed to demand from this country seem to me to be extortionate and i think to go whistle is an entirely appropriate expression. the formerjournalist was never far from the expression. the formerjournalist was neverfarfrom the papers writing about his opinion, some collea g u es writing about his opinion, some colleagues were not impressed. writing about his opinion, some colleagues were not impressedlj writing about his opinion, some colleagues were not impressed. i do not want her managing the brexit process. uk coal back—seat driving. by process. uk coal back—seat driving. by thisjohnson process. uk coal back—seat driving. by this johnson continued process. uk coal back—seat driving. by thisjohnson continued to argue for the sharpest break from the eu inviting questions about his loyalty. i ready to resign? mr johnson even dismissed one of the customs plans being considered by his patient is crazy, i find customs plans being considered by his patient is crazy, ifind his direction towards brexit —— his patience was running out. not long

ago it would be easy to see boris johnson is nothing more than a figure of fun. a former london mayor with a flairfor figure of fun. a former london mayor with a flair for attention. but he has always been ambitious and about brexit he's serious. even now he is now out of government, few would bet against borisjohnson now out of government, few would bet against boris johnson being now out of government, few would bet against borisjohnson being back. that was ben wright reflecting on the former foreign secretary's career so far but of course word is likely go next? we will talk about that in a few minutes with someone who knows him rather well and has written extensively about him. but we will go live to brussels before that (pres) sophie in't veld is a dutch liberal mep —— and deputy to the european pa rliament‘s chief brexit negotiator — guy verhofstadt. we can speak to her now from the european parliament in brussels. what do you make of today's events?

it is not for us to comment on the composition of the british government but we hope this is not going to distract from what we need to do, sit down and talk and make sure we come to a proper agreement. the clock is ticking and perhaps the debate going on in the uk about what kind of brexit, what does it mean and the consequences, is something which should have taken place earlier. i am glad there is now a proposal by their british government, we have waited for that long time, the proposal is not the same as the final outcome of the talks so we should not waste any more time and negotiate. talks so we should not waste any more time and negotiatelj more time and negotiate.” understand you do not want to comment on the make—up of the government but you will a view on how the brexit process might unfold. we have now lost in government the

foreign secretary and the head of the brexit departments, what does that tell you about the likelihood of stability in this process in the next few weeks and months? again, i cannot comment on the british government but it is clear that they need a stable government with a strong mandate and strong backing for the negotiations because it will be difficult enough. the proposal that mrs may has put on the proposal is at least a government proposal but there are a couple of elements in their where we think how realistic is that really? getting access to the internal market only for goods. the european union is willing to sit down and talk but we willing to sit down and talk but we will not break up the internal market or the european union. we will not re—negotiate the whole european union. the internal markets, the four fundamental freedom of movement of goods,

capital and services, we will not break that up. very interesting references there, you are basically saying that there are elements of this proposal that theresa may put forward today that you're hinting strongly and will simply not be a cce pta ble strongly and will simply not be acceptable in their current form? we will have to look at all the details of the proposal but to me it seems very difficult, i do not see how you can reconcile those two things. getting access to the internal market for goods only, how can you separate that? one thing is clear for the eu, we leave the internal market intact. we will not negotiate at the expense of the internal market because the internal market is essential for our prosperity.

thank you so muchjoining us is essential for our prosperity. thank you so much joining us today. right at the heart of the process and sounding a clear warning that the form of the proposal by theresa may for access to goods to the single market and restricting that access is something she is saying it would be very difficult for the european union to accept. that is a debate for another day. we are talking about the fee private political atmosphere here and i am joined by andrew, a writer and contributor, and an author of a book about boris johnson. did contributor, and an author of a book about borisjohnson. did the events today surprise you? yes, but boris isa today surprise you? yes, but boris is a surprisingly and spontaneous person. he has a deep streak of prudence. he wants to think about

this but once david davis did it, he had to follow suit. he was the member of a team he no longer wanted to believe in. when we think about the timing, as you say, we have had a weekend following the chequers summit, what would have been his process of thinking overnight and this morning given what happened with david davis? he would still have thought about it carefully but he would have realised there was no future for him in the cabinet. it david davis does not believe in it, how could he? he would make himself a laughing stock. although he is capable of being a team player i think its natural place in the team is asa think its natural place in the team is as a captain, not a subordinate following a leader who actually has little credibility left either with him with the large number of people who voted brexit. it is not all about boris johnson,

tory mps are not wrong when they say they are getting a lot of messages from angry people who voted for brexit and don't understand why the whole thing is hanging fire. hopefully we do not have long to wait before we get a statement from the former foreign secretary. what would be your hunch? how tough will he be in that statement? i think his line will be the boldest measures are the safest. to get things from the european union, you have to be bold, it is no good dithering and hanging around, trying to please eve ryo ne hanging around, trying to please everyone and ending up and today it looks as though theresa may has not pleased anyone. she has not managed to keep her party together zero please the people who voted brexit and she has lost two senior ministers. a bold policy is what he is offering and i think we will surely get our manifesto along those lines. it will not be called a ma nifesto, lines. it will not be called a manifesto, but it will show that he wa nts to manifesto, but it will show that he wants to go for it rather than leave

it to the officials. we will talk more about the captain role that you mentioned. does it surprise you that liam fox and michael gove are still in the cabinet? michael gove is a silver tongued character and has decided that majority opinion in the party is still in favour of compromise and he, who better to enunciated that than michael gove? he isa enunciated that than michael gove? he is a brilliant performer. what he is not brilliant dad is campaigning and reaching a wider public. that is something that tory mps will be thinking about, they can afford one changing leader without having a general election but they cannot do two. word theresa may to go, then they have got to decide on someone they have got to decide on someone they are prepared to fight an election under. the third—rate, mediocre, clapped—out tory mp who will never get another job mediocre, clapped—out tory mp who will never get anotherjob anywhere,

the chap or the woman who will bring the chap or the woman who will bring the votes, that is much more important than you think. that is interesting. that is your thoughts on michael gove, what about liam fox ? on michael gove, what about liam fox? i don't know if he is still co mforta ble. fox? i don't know if he is still comfortable. he is an enigma. it looks as though he wants to be an insider. would you be surprised if he resigned? i would. insider. would you be surprised if he resigned? iwould. going insider. would you be surprised if he resigned? i would. going back to your captaincy image, what would you say to viewers who are wondering what boris johnson's say to viewers who are wondering what borisjohnson's plans might be now in terms of the party and potential leadership issues? now in terms of the party and potential leadership issues7m now in terms of the party and potential leadership issues? if and when there is a leadership contest, there will be a star but boris candidate around him are large number of people will unite, just like when people united around john major when michael heseltine fail to become leader. that could be an

argument for speed for boris and it depends how it develops. i would have advised him to sit back and wait, but that might be the very worst thing from his point of view and there is not much time to get these negotiations right and there was always a certain justice in the people who swung the referendum result actually having to cope with the consequences of that. he and others like him are the people who ought to be trying to see this through to a successful conclusion. they should be responsible for what they did. right now, and what is your sense of the balance of opinion of the conservative benches in the commons about whether theresa may should carry on. does she have a majority? do they believe she should be hanging on in order to have some kind of stewardship over this process and we all know that involves the higher stakes? there have always been arguments in favour

of sticking with theresa may and letting her go brexit over and web the less successful she is and we have just had a guest from the continent saying the concessions she have made are not regarded as sufficient. the week that argument becomes now. tory mps, she does not have much to fall back on because not many people are dyed in the wool supporters. thank you for your insight. it is great to have you with us. andrew with his expert analysis what is going on in the conservative and the borisjohnson camp. we have not yet heard from borisjohnson. we will see if that tallies up later. you are watching bbc news on the day that theresa may has lost two offer senior cabinet ministers, both of them resigning in protest at the brexit strategy. the time is coming up to around 2a

minutes to six o'clock and time is flying. we are still waiting for that statement. what i would like to do now on this fine evening is get the weather forecast. thank you. it has been a pretty humid day in southern parts of the country but su btle southern parts of the country but subtle changes have been taking place further north. cooler air moving down across many areas and tomorrow that cooler air will be noticeable although largely dry, a little bit of light rain in places. that cooler air in the north of the country will move south right across england and wales as we head through the course of the night, the breeze picking up on the east coasts. a more comfortable night for sleeping. we start tuesday on a cloudy note, certainly cooler as well but sunshine will develop across england and wales and into northern ireland, spots of light rain and drizzle for

parts of the north of scotland, the odd shower laterfor parts of the north of scotland, the odd shower later for wales, most places will be dry and notice those temperatures, highs of 23—25d, quite a few degrees down on what we used to. it stays fresh in the north, a few showers towards the end of the week but then it warms up again across the south. we are back at westminster where we are repeating the news and underlining it that borisjohnson has the news and underlining it that boris johnson has resigned the news and underlining it that borisjohnson has resigned as the foreign secretary and theresa may amid a real sense of growing political crisis over the uk government's brexit strategy. he is the second senior minister to leave the second senior minister to leave the government in less than 2a hours following the departure of david davis late last night. around midnight. the departure came shortly before theresa may addressed parliament today about her brexit plan. i would like to look at how these events unfolded, just before

midnight, the first reports emerged that david davis had in fact decided to resign and then we heard the influential brexiteer and ministers stephen baker, from the same department, he had also left hisjob and then at 10:30 a:m., downing street confirmed that dominic raabe would be the new brexit secretary. then downing street announced that borisjohnson had then downing street announced that boris johnson had resigned then downing street announced that borisjohnson had resigned as foreign secretary and then at 3:30pm, theresa may thank them for their work. there were quite a few cheers and jeers and then defended, this is the important part, defended the very controversial package of measures that she came to chequers where plastic. that has been the triggerfor the resignations. where plastic. that has been the trigger for the resignations. i would like to talk to the former

leader of the liberal democrats, lord ashdown. it has been quite a day and i am wondering, what is your perspective on the fact that we are dealing with the biggest political and economic challenge of the last 60 or 70 years and today the government is about a foreign secretary and a new brexit secretary. you were right in explaining that we are in a process. it is an unravelling process and number 10 will be desperate to stop it unravelling fred and they do not think they will succeed. pity are country, we are facing the most important decision we have taken in my lifetime, probably for 100 years and we are governed by a country which is completely run by the internal squabbles of a conservative party that would give a rats in a sack a bad name. looking at this and how will develop, my guess is that this is the point where it becomes more rather than less likely that we will have to go ahead with brexit

without a further challenge are taking of the national voice either through a general election or a final vote on the deal. there is now overwhelming public support for that and that will only gather pace now. 0n the final point, how do you read the tipping point on that. it is such a controversial and divisive issue. . i knew that borisjohnson would go this morning. he was bound to go because of ambition. he has had the luxury of leading the rebels from inside the cabinet and soon as david davis left, he had to follow. the logical presumption of that and i think it it would look silly if he did not challenge, in that case we are intoa did not challenge, in that case we are into a position where the brexiteers will not let the tory party elect a remainer and the other side will not elect a brexiteer. they will have to return to people

in some form or another. i am sure thatis in some form or another. i am sure that is the most likely outcome. it is worth saying, for those of us who make predictions that actually, given the broken, fractured dystopian nature of british politics are present, any outcome in europe, alt of europe, brexit or no brexit, almost anything is possible, except reg retta bly a almost anything is possible, except regrettably a government made up of liberal democrats, sadly. it is difficult to read. it is impossible. 0n the balance of probabilities, the stalemate that is now being arrived at very quickly unless number 10 can stop it leads to a point where there is no other resolution other than to test the will of the people in a general election or a final vote. we we re general election or a final vote. we were talking to a guest earlier who said, even the package the prime

minister has brought forward is now in terms of access and goods only other qualified access she is talking about, she said it is unacceptable. one thing is explicitly clear and that is that she outlined yesterday and negotiating strategy, a position and that has to be negotiated. how on earth can anyone negotiate with the british government and prime minister that has not the smallest read of credibility left ayes pity our poor country, held together for the second time now, held hostage to the second time now, held hostage to the internal squabbles of the conservative party. we have talked a lot about the stability of this process and the fact the government needs to be seen to be united, rather ironic after the events today, but unity is important and the prime minister has the authority to cover this through, do you think labour are right to ask her to resign? i do not think they are

going to. i think she will be forced to by those in the conservative party. the one thing i cannot forgive mrs may four, she inherited a country catastrophically divided over brexit and instead of trying to heal those winds, she widened those wider and now she is paying the price. the country is now paying the price. the country is now paying the price as well. any prime minister in such a weak position, so catastrophically undermined and without any credibility, to put the interests of britain verse, would seek to find someone else to run the country, because she cannot. this is such a crucial area, two years after the referendum and we are in this position. i am the referendum and we are in this position. iam interested in the referendum and we are in this position. i am interested in your reading of this. do you genuinely detect a change in public opinion?” do on the margins. particularly

among metropolitan opinion last time which was the opinion that tapped it towards a brexit. i do detect some but not much. there is an overwhelming view brought about by the mishandling of this whole affair by the incompetence, that people are feeling, on both sides, that whatever happens, we want a boat on the final deal and i think the figure on that is 65% and growing and today will only make it grow more. if you want a classic sporting are bold example of what incompetence looks like in government, look at today. theresa may has just arrived in the corridor with a 1922 meet. that will be interesting. she will do what every prime minister does. she will say that she will fight on. faced with the conservative party, i am told that there are a8 letters that can

going even if she to win that. her credibility, respect is undermined and even someone as strong as credibility, respect is undermined and even someone as strong as mrs thatcher understood that and i suspect mrs may will not be able to hide from it for a very long. thank you. lord ashdown, the former leader of the liberal democrats. with his vantage point, as a veteran at westminster figure and knowing the political system here in out, but having some interesting insights into what has been going on with the other parties and the benches on the other parties and the benches on the other side of the house. gavin lee is in brussels and i am wondering, we spoke earlier to a dutch mep and she was hinting strongly that parts of this package were simply not going to be acceptable anyway. what is your reading of events today? going to be acceptable anyway. what

is your reading of events today7m is your reading of events today7m is interesting. just behind me, the european commission, there was a fly— past european commission, there was a fly—past by the belgian air force. it is the nato summit. all of the leaders in the next 2a hours, particularly the eu leaders will be arriving here for that and what fascinates me, these leaders, from emmanuel macron to the lithuanian president, if they are not giving press co nfe re nces , president, if they are not giving press conferences, you can hardly keep them from social media. they we re keep them from social media. they were on twitter but today, nothing. i spoke to a senior eu source who said, this is a deliberate dignified silence attempt, not because it is about old truism for the uk, but they know if they put the knife in any more and make it sound worse, it could backfire on brussels as well, any type of deal, if it goes off the rails. the more polite form of words

i heard, they are going to watch the show will play out today. another thought, david davis had to phase and dominic rabble have to face, michel barnier, he is in the states today with other officials and he has not treated, which is again unusual, but his team have said, they are starting brexit talks from next monday and they expect that the new brexit secretary will be in place and making it a sense of him. good to talk to you. we will be back later. back here, let us take stock andi later. back here, let us take stock and i amjoined later. back here, let us take stock and i am joined by sam coates from the times and katie bowles from the spectator. it has been quite a 2a hours and i am wondering, what should we really be thinking about now given that we still have not heard from borisjohnson. i want readout of we are. we know boris

johnson has left his role and the fa ct johnson has left his role and the fact that there has been a pause, he is deciding his words but all ice will be on what he is planning to do andi will be on what he is planning to do and i think very few people think he will retire to the backbenches. is he planning to be a rival leadership bid or is he trying to get theresa may to change her position? a lot of people think is the former. do you agree? we have got two big questions on the table. is there are going to bea on the table. is there are going to be a successful attempt to unseat theresa may and wilbur brexiteers be able to throw her off course for a soft brexit? things are fluid as we speak mps are gathering in hearing from the prime minister in the 1922 committee and it is not clear if they have enough letters. it takes 48 letters to the chairman of the committee in order to hold a vote of no—confidence and i don't think they

have got them today, the question is, will this be what the tory party looks like from here on end? i was in the chamberand looks like from here on end? i was in the chamber and are go and use all seems that i have not seen in my reporting career, tory mps barracking the prime minister, declaring they were deeply unhappy with her performance and her basically pleading with them to stay onside and other mps, booing brexiteer mps as they stood up. theresa may might get through the next day, week or month but this looks like a conservative party that it is going to struggle to survive and put back together the big picture divide at the centre. as someone picture divide at the centre. as someone who has sat in that press gallery during the time ofjohn major's government, there was a lot of bad feeling and it was around the maastricht treaty, but there were no scenes like that in the chamber. it tended to be more controlled, even

though they were having a thing going on, but today for me, that looked really quite brutal and that tells us that feelings are running ata tells us that feelings are running at a dangerously high level for the prime minister. do you think she can survive? in the short-term but i think if there is a confidence vote, she can probably win it. as sam says, the atmosphere in there is incredible. you have the issue is that if she can get to the spinal brexit deal, where will she get the numbers to get this through? there are eurosceptic mps galvanised by the departure of david davis and borisjohnson the departure of david davis and boris johnson and they the departure of david davis and borisjohnson and they will not suddenly come around to this and she will need to look to opposition mps andi will need to look to opposition mps and i get the impression they will not help theresa may. is that your reading? yes. there are no good options, have a leadership contest,

the parliamentary mathematics are the parliamentary mathematics are the same. the plan could be rejected outright by the eu and we will probably crash into a hard brexit. 0ther probably crash into a hard brexit. other general election, the tories faced jeremy corbyn becoming prime minister. that is what is worrying people. that is why i asked the question, given those options, the options all have large downsides to them, you wonder what would persuade lots of very enthusiastic brexiteers to really tried to unseat mrs may in the circumstances. what is in it for them? that is not their plan at the moment. the likes ofjacob rees—mogg do not want that to happen, they wa nt do not want that to happen, they want to throw her off her brexit chorus and they are running a gorilla campaign to make her life a misery and make clear that she does not have the ability to stop the

number—1 plan. just an seating her will not give them what they want. given the part that led to that plan, is there any likelihood that the prime minister will abandon it? i think that she has stabled herself to one direction and it is hard for her to pull back from that. next week, tory remain rebels will have a chance to vote on the customs union vote and they see a brexiteer push, theresa may will find that tory rebels have slapped handcuffs on her by voting for a membership of the customs union thereby obligating her to stay in something she was very firm that she would not do. just about boris johnson, i firm that she would not do. just about borisjohnson, i am wondering whether people think in retrospect he would have been better off inside, continuing to fight, because if the strategy is to change the

strategy, if that is the goal, surely he would have been better off stain on the cabinet and trying to do that? you would think that, but the problem is the numbers in the cabinet meant that borisjohnson would always be outvoted on these concessions. the concessions that we expect brussels to try and put on the soft brexit deal, which is why think they have resorted to these tactics. it is hard to see what the brexiteer route is even if they manage to get some unlike boris johnson as prime minister. those tory remain rebels could rebel more even quit the party. there is no good answer here. final word on mrs may, the kind of figure that we saw in the commons, she is under huge pressure, criticised by people on her own side. i heard of you today that she showed a bit of guts

actually just getting that she showed a bit of guts actuallyjust getting through it and maybe nailing some of the answers she needed. what was your sense of her performance? as ever, it is not over until it is over. she digs them so over until it is over. she digs them so hard in order to trying keep her position and if you look at the parliamentary mathematics, there is a clear majority on her side but whether or not these gorilla tactics coupled with that tiny minority means that she can get her way, who knows? good to talk to you and maybe we will get something from boris johnson before the end of the day. a little bit more on the fact, the prime minister is meeting conservative backbench mps, lots of table thumping could be heard as she arrived. that is a traditional welcome. clearly quite a few of the mps are wanting to make a pretty

vocal demonstration of their support for the prime minister who is pretty embattled right now. let us talk to chris mason who is outside the foreign secretary's official residence. what is the latest? welcome to one carlton gardens. half a mile up the road from you. boris johnson has been here since this morning but still no sign of him. suspicions began to grow in the early afternoon when the then foreign secretary was due to chair an event discussing the balkans elsewhere in central london and he did not turn up and people at that event were tweeting that he had not turned up. around three o'clock, news from downing street that he had resigned and here we are, three hours later and you can see the assembled mass of media, we all await his departure. some of the trappings of office have departed

already, the motor cycle outriders left pretty much as soon as that announcement was made. no sign yet of the former foreign secretary nor the traditional exchange of letters between her resigning minister and the prime minister and crucially, the prime minister and crucially, the kind of language that boris johnson users within it. is it merely focused on a disagreement over policy and that announcement set out at chequers the other night or does it extend to theresa may's leadership? that is the big question. chris mason the latest at the official residence of the foreign secretary. we are in a position here, we are waiting for word from the foreign secretary to explain formally why he resigned, why borisjohnson explain formally why he resigned, why boris johnson resigned explain formally why he resigned, why borisjohnson resigned and left the cabinet today. there have been disagreements on the brexit process but the resignation of borisjohnson which took place a matter of hours after the brexit secretary david davis resigned at about midnight

last night. what we are expecting now is for the foreign secretary to emerge from his official residence, the former foreign secretary, but we still do not have a new foreign secretary named. number 10 is expected to do that shortly. there will be more details on this at bbc news at six coming up in a few seconds and there will be more on the bbc news channel overnight and i will be back at ten o'clock either here or maybe in downing street with the latest on the events today. very fast—moving, a real sense of a growing political crisis for theresa may. no question of that because the entire brexit strategy is really being strained. more coming up for you on the meantime. let usjoin starve for the weather. it has been another hot one in their cells, 29.7 degrees at heathrow. things are set

to change tonight into tomorrow, a cooling trend, many places will be cooler than today. the north has been cool and cloudy, the odd spot of light rain and that rain will migrate to the south. more of a breeze in the east of england. it should be more comfortable to sleep, certainly across the north. warmer in towns and cities. tomorrow we start off on a cloudy and cooler note. some sunny spells around but thicker cloud in the north of scotla nd thicker cloud in the north of scotland herald sun light and patchy rain and the odd shower in wales and the south west of england. highs of between 23 and 25 degrees. cooler in the south. northern areas will stay cool but it is warming up in the south as two major blows for theresa may — as borisjohnson follows david davis

and resigns from the government. the foreign secretary went this afternoon. he had disagreed with the prime minister's latest brexit plan. and earlier the brexit secretary said he was resigning, as he didn't "believe" in theresa may's exit strategy. i was supposed to present it to parliament, to the european union, to everybody else, and if i don't believe in it, then i won't do as good a job as somebody who does believe in it. the prime minister's commons statement on her brexit plan overshadowed by the resignations — mrs may did her best to explain them away. in the two years since the referendum, we have had