PRIME Minister Theresa May's inability to control her own party has been laid bare after most of her MPs refused to back any request for an extension to article 50.
Four cabinet ministers were among those to vote against the Mrs May’s decision to ask for a three-month extension to article 50, along with almost 100 Tory MPs.
May only won the vote on the back of support from Labour and other opposition parties, with only 31 per cent of her backing coming from 131 Conservative MPs.
The turmoil among the conservatives comes as senior Scottish Tories warn that a lengthy Brexit delay would be "catastrophic" for Ruth Davidson's attempt to become first minister, senior Scottish Conservatives have said.
Thersa May has little room for manouver
Mrs May is seeking an extension until 30 June, but European Council president Donald Tusk has suggested offering the UK a "flexible" delay to Brexit of up to a year.
READ MORE: Donald Tusk suggests EU leaders grant UK a longer Brexit extension
It has been reported that Jackson Carlaw, the interim Scottish Tory leader, is concerned that Leave voters who have switched from the SNP may abandon the Conservatives as a result of a Brexit extension.
Another senior Tory MSP said that the turmoil at Westminster had created serious problems for the party north of the border. "A long extension would be catastrophic for us," the shadow minister said. "A lot of our voters are leave and they just want us to get out."
Ross Thomson, the MP for Aberdeen South, who supports Brexit, said that the Scottish Conservatives would have to work hard to keep the "broad coalition" of support needed to secure electoral victories.
"If Ruth wants to be first minister and we are to become the largest party then we need to maintain that coalition and keep these voters onside," he said.
Mr Thomson insisted that independence was still a bigger dividing line than Brexit for the Scottish electorate.
READ MORE: MPs back Theresa May’s bid to extend Brexit process until June 30
However, the whispers surrounding Ms Davidson at Holyrood pale in comparison to the shouts of defiance Mrs May is facing at Westminster.
Almost 100 Tory MPs voted against the prime minister’s decision to ask for a three-month extension to article 50 and another 80 abstained during the vote on Tuesday, underlining the loss of control over her party.
Andrea Leadsom, Chris Grayling, Geoffrey Cox and Liam Fox all did not vote on the motion to extend article 50 until 30 June.
READ MORE: How would a second Brexit referendum work?
Pro-Brexit MPs suggested this showed she may not have the backing of her party to pursue any soft Brexit deal involving a customs union and ultimately no overall parliamentary majority for that if at least 100 Labour and other opposition MPs insist on a confirmatory referendum.
Marcus Fysh, a Eurosceptic Conservative, said: “Only 133 out of 314 Conservative MPs voted for extension of article 50 this afternoon. The government simply does not have support for its current direction on the main purpose of its existence, inside the parliamentary party, the party in the country, or the wider country.”
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