Senior cabinet minister Amber Rudd has sensationally quit Boris Johnson's government and the Conservative Party in protest at his handling of Brexit.
The Hastings and Rye MP has walked away from her post as work and pensions secretary and said she was relinquishing the Tory whip after the Prime Minister sacked 21 rebels this week.
Mr Johnson removed the whip from two former chancellors and Winston Churchill's grandson after they voted to give Opposition MPs control of the order paper and start the process of blocking a no-deal Brexit.
Ms Rudd declared in a letter to the Prime Minister: "I cannot stand by as good, loyal moderate Conservatives are expelled.
"I have spoken to the PM and my Association Chairman to explain. I remain committed to the One Nation values that drew me into politics."
She added: "I have resigned from Cabinet and surrendered the Conservative Whip."
David Gauke, the former secretary of state for justice and lord chancellor tweeted: "I'm sure this has not been an easy decision. But it is brave and principled and is all about putting the national interest first."
Former minister Damian Green tweeted: "This is desperately sad."
Keir Starmer, Labour MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Brexit, added: "Johnson government falling apart. He’s being totally found out..."
Rudd's resignation will ramp up pressure on Mr Johnson to allow Tory rebels back into the party.
It comes after a former Director of Public Prosecutions suggested today the Prime Minister could be jailed if he refuses to delay Brexit.
Boris Johnson indicated he would rather "die in a ditch" than go to Europe and ask for the extension, despite MPs having voted through a law forcing him to delay a no-deal Brexit.
The bill is expected to receive royal assent on Monday, thereby completing all stages required to become law.
According to Sky News, the former Director of Public Prosecutions Lord McDonald has said it is 'likely' Johnson will face court action if he refuses to comply with the newly-passed law.
"I've been talking to former Director of Public Prosecutions, Lord MacDonald, now a cross-bench peer and he said it is likely that this court action could lead to some sort of order from a judge, from a court, forcing Boris Johnson to comply with the law and, if Boris Johnson continues to refuse to comply with that, he could be held in contempt of court," Rob Powell, reporter for Sky News, told the channel.
"Contempt of court by convention carries a prison sentence, which could mean that the prime minister could go to jail. Now I asked him if this was an extreme outcome and he said 'No, it's not an extreme outcome, it is by convention that if you are found guilty of contempt of court, of defying a court order, then you are jailed.'"
Leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn said Mr Johnson believes he is "above the law".
