Theresa May issues warning to Tory rebels not to defy ‘will of the people’ on Brexit

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Theresa May slapped down David Davis for questioning her plan on Brexit

The Prime Minister said that Tory rebels who want to interfere with the Government’s legislation for Brexit would be defying the “will of the people.”

And she will simply not let that happen – as she is absolutely determined to deliver what she promised to the British people – after the vote to leave the EU last June.

Mrs May appeared to lay into Brexit Secretary Davis Davis after his comments that EU membership would provide the same deal as the new deal being carved out for the UK.

In January, Mr Davis said: “What we have come up with…is the idea of a comprehensive free trade agreement and a comprehensive customs agreement that will deliver the exact same benefits as we have.”

But the Prime Minister fired back through a spokesperson saying that she would be seeking the “best possible deal”.

The pressure on Mrs May to deliver a good plan for the UK is piling up after Labour said on Monday that it will not support any withdrawal plan that doesn’t give the country the same benefits of EU membership.

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Downing Street confirmed that Mrs May is due to launch talks on the withdrawal on Wednesday

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said that Labour would not support a withdrawal deal that failed to meet his party’s "six tests."

Downing Street confirmed that Mrs May is due to launch talks on the withdrawal on Wednesday.

Adding that any planned proposals by ministers to get rid of any EU legislation will also be subject to a “sunset clause.”

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Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would not support the wrong deal

But she came under fire for not being clear enough on how difficult it will be to smooth out the fine print on Britain’s divorce from the EU.

The Government may need to grapple with at least 12 pieces of legislation to prevent difficulties after March 29.

Another 5,000 pieces of secondary legislation will also need to be addressed and ministers will be faced with the daunting task of deciding what laws to keep and which ones to ditch.

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Ministers must also cope with the Great Repeal bill which makes all EU law affecting Britain pass on to the UK statute book when we exit.

There are so many political and legal issues for the prime minister to deal with that ministers fear that she could be bogged down in it for years, delaying Brexit further.