A threat to Brexit

MORE than a week after the Chequers summit, there is little sign of peace breaking out in the Conservative Party.

Yes, Theresa May made a valiant attempt to steady the ship yesterday morning, and the Mail welcomes her insistence that ending free movement is the reddest of red lines.

But it is far from clear that the Prime Minister has done enough to convince her party to vote for her half-in half-out Brexit.

Indeed, with polls showing the party is haemorrhaging support to Ukip, the rebellion among Tory Brexiteers shows no sign of abating.

Despite our own grave reservations about the White Paper, the Mail urges extreme caution on those MPs who seek to destabilise Mrs May at this critical time.

Do they really want to force a painful three-month leadership election in the middle of the negotiations?

Don’t they risk tearing the party apart, and opening the door to Jeremy Corbyn?

With Peter Mandelson, Tony Blair and the forces of Remain on manoeuvres – plus Labour refusing to rule out a second referendum – the risk of an existential threat to Brexit cannot be ruled out.