TATTON MP Esther McVey has resigned from the cabinet following the announcement of the Government's Brexit deal yesterday.

In a letter sent to Theresa May this morning, Ms McVey told the Prime Minister her deal 'does not honour the result of the referendum'.

She said the withdrawal agreement would mean 'handing over around £39 billion to the EU without anything in return' and 'trap us in a customs union'.

Ms McVey said: "There is no more important task for this Government than delivering on the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union.

"This is a matter of trust. It is about the future of our country and the integrity of our democracy.

"The British people have always been ahead of politicians on this issue, and it will be no good trying to pretend to them that this deal honours the result of the referendum when it is obvious to everyone that it doesn't.

"We have gone from no deal is better than a bad deal, to any deal is better than no deal.

"I cannot defend this, and I cannot vote for this deal. I could not look my constituents in the eye were I to do that. I therefore have no alternative but to resign from the Government."

Ms McVey is the second cabinet member to resign over the Brexit deal, following in the footsteps of Dominic Raab, Brexit secretary.

The former Wirral West MP, who replaced former Chancellor George Osborne as Tatton's MP last year, has served as work and pensions secretary since January following a short spell as a whip.

She was widely reported in the national press as being upset during yesterday's cabinet meeting after being shouted down following attempts to push through a vote on the Brexit deal.