Fareham MP Suella Braverman tells why she rebelled against the PM on Brexit vote

These are the words of Fareham MP Suella Braverman who was the only Tory MP in the area to vote against the prime minister’s draft Brexit deal.

Mrs Braverman, who stood down from her role as Brexit minister last year, was among 118 Conservatives to rebel against Mrs May, whose Brexit plan was thrown out in dramatic scenes in the House of Commons last night.

Reacting to the news, Mrs Braverman said: ‘This emphatic result shows this deal was unacceptable and needs either a thorough amendment or to be ditched entirely.

‘It’s been a difficult night for everyone in parliament. I myself rebelled against the Tory government for the first time in my career which was horrible.

‘But we are in a mess and this is a Brexit nobody wanted.‘

Mrs Braverman’s stance went at odds with Tory colleagues across the area, who were among the 202 to vote in favour of the PM’s plan.

She highlighted concerns over the Northern Irish backstop as the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ in her decision, saying it would have kept the UK ‘indefinitely tied’ to Europe.

The Brexiteer added: ‘It would have also made Northern Ireland a third country. That’s totally unacceptable. That’s part of our country and our nation.’

Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth South MP, was among the 432 MPs to go against Theresa May. He said her deal would have devastated the economy and would be a disaster for Britain – although he offered no alternatives to Mrs May’s plan.

However, the Labour MP said: ‘It is clear that no-one in the referendum voted for this half-baked deal put forward by the prime minister.’

Mr Morgan, whose grandparents and parents lived in Portsmouth, said he could not vote for the deal because it would make Portsmouth poorer, threaten its public Services and jeopardise jobs.

‘For the QA Hospital, it would mean staff shortages induced by the prime minister’s continuation of the “hostile environment”; a reduction in shared research and international cooperation, and it threatens the prosperity needed to fund our much-loved local NHS.’

However, Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage – who backed the PM’s plan – lashed out at those against it saying it would put Brexit at risk.

The Tory health minister said: ‘There are a large number of MPs on both sides of the house that are absolutely determined to derail Brexit.

‘They’re hellbent on derailing it and that’s unacceptable.’

Tories Penny Mordaunt, Portsmouth North MP, Havant MP Alan Mak and Meon Valley MP George Hollingbury, all supported Mrs May’s plan alongside Ms Dinenage.

Tonight will see the government facing a vote of no confidence, following a motion by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn yesterday.

Mrs Braverman said she would back the government in the vote and branded Mr Corbyn’s move as ’common theatrics’.