Ex-Ukip members ‘are taking over the Tories’

PRO-REMAIN Tory MPs said last night the party was being taken over by former Ukip members amid fresh infighting over Brexit.

Former minister Anna Soubry said the Conservative Party was ‘broken’ as prime minister Theresa May struggles to reconcile the warring factions.

Ms Soubry, who has been campaigning for a second referendum, said even MPs loyal to Mrs May were facing the prospect of being unseated because of the arrival of hundreds of ex-Ukip supporters in their constituency associations.

She was backed up by Nick Boles, another former minister, who said the prime minister was allowing zealots to run the party.

It came as Mrs May was warned that 12 ministers will resign by the end of the month unless she agrees to postpone Brexit to prevent a no-deal scenario.

Meanwhile, the British Labour Party was facing a crisis last night amid rumours that up to 12 of its MPs could quit in the coming days. Many are angered by party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s refusal to back a second referendum following Labour’s failure to trigger a general election.