Theresa May credits husband Philip's support, a glass of whiskey and beans on toast with helping her through week of Brexit chaos

While Cabinet ministers Dominic Raab and Esther McVey – along with five others – quit over her proposed agreement with the EU, at least 20 Tory MPs have demanded a vote of no confidence in her.

At the moment Theresa May is clinging on to power by her fingertips and her future as Prime Minister is far from certain.

Mrs May told the Daily Mail: “It’s been a pretty heavy couple of days. When I went up to the flat late on Wednesday, around 11pm, the first thing Philip did was to pour me a whiskey, Penderyn Welsh whiskey – though I do drink Scotch as well.”

But May, 62, who has been married Philip May, 61, since 1980, described the investment banker as her “rock”.

She said: "I always say he is my rock. It’s hugely important to have somebody there who is supportive of you, not involved in the intricacies of politics, but there to provide human support.”


When she returned from attending Prince Charles’ 70th birthday party, Philip was there ready to rustle up a quick snack.

“We went up to the flat for a quick bite,” Mrs May said. “Philip cooked beans on toast – I think I opened the tin! He made the toast – and did the washing up.”

He also backs her policies and gives her encouragement when things get tough, as they have done this week, but she still put the washing on.

She said: “He thinks what I am doing is important for the British people, though he doesn’t put it like that.

“He says ‘Keep going, this matters, keep doing the right thing’.”

But she did admit he feels the attacks on her from her critics much more than she does and said he felt some of the "hurt" himself.

He even had to shut off the TVs at work because he was so enraged by the coverage of rebels paying into her, Mrs May revealed.

And she took a side swipe at her opponents – though she didn't name Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees-Mogg directly.

Mrs May said: "They think too much about their privileged position and too little about their responsibility.

"The job of a prime minister is to make tough decisions which are not always black or white.”

This week Dominic Raab and Esther McVey quit in protest at her deal, saying they couldn't support it – leaving her battling for her own survival.

And she insisted that Brexiteers had no chance of getting her Canada plus deal they wanted passed – because there would still have to be a back up plan for Northern Ireland in there, which would keep us tied to the customs union.

She said her Brexit deal was not perfect, but that it would end free movement and deliver the exit the people votes for.

Ultimately, May remained defiant under intense pressure from all political sides.

Mrs May said: “Being prime minister is about fighting the good fight for the country.

“And that is what I am determined to do.”

But May's political survival is far from certain with some of the Eurosceptic members of her cabinet said to be pushing for changes to the Brexit deal as the price she has to pay for them not resigning.

The so-called Pizza Club will include Environment Secretary Michael Gove, along with Andrea Leadsom, Chris Grayling, Penny Mordaunt and Liam Fox – who will meet in the next two days to agree the terms of their ultimatum.

The group, dubbed the "Gang of Five," are believed to have given May a lifeline over the proposed deal but left her in no doubt they would resign if their demands are not met.



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