The Prime Minister confronted Amber Rudd, David Gauke, Greg Clark and David Mundell after they abstained from the no deal vote. The dispute took place in a Cabinet meeting on Thursday that followed the collapse of party discipline during key votes on Wednesday night. One Cabinet source said the Prime Minister accused Ms Rudd and other Remainers of “disloyalty” for abstaining in the vote. Another source said: “She went bat****.”
Chief Whip Julian Smith said to those at the meeting there was no excuse to break collective responsibility.
He also praised junior DWP minister Sarah Newton for resigning so she could vote against, according to The Spectator.
When Mr Clark attempted to explain his actions by saying he was “confused” Mr Smith allegedly walked out the meeting.
Mr Clark’s efforts to justify himself “ended badly” after Mrs May shut him down.
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Remainer ministers have since described their treatment as unfair.
One source said: “They challenged the Chief Whip and the PM over the handling of the vote.
“They never had the chance to discuss the whipping of the final vote – if they had, it would not have happened.”
Another dispute began after reports circulated that the rebels had been told by a Number 10 aide they could in fact abstain from the vote.
Parliamentary Private Secretary Andrew Bowie has allegedly told ministers they would not be fired as a result.
However, Nigel Evans, joint executive secretary of the 1922 Committee of Conservative MPs, said all MPs had received texts notifying them they were on a three-line whip.
Mr Evans said: “Apparently Cabinet ministers were confused last night as to whether they were on a three-line whip or not.
“Well, funnily enough, I received a text that told me on my phone that I was on a three-line whip. They received the same text.
“It’s amazing that you can be a Cabinet minister and still not know what a three-line whip text means.”
