The Yorkshire Post says: Donald Trump adds to Conservative Party's Brexit nightmare

It appeared, for a few hours at least, that some calm had been restored at the heart of Government following a tumultuous two days for Theresa May when leading Brexiteers Michael Gove and Liam Fox confirmed on Tuesday morning they would not be following David Davis and Boris Johnson in resigning over her Brexit negotiating strategy.

President Donald Trump has added to Brexit tensions.

But the pressure was heaped back onto the Prime Minister when US President Donald Trump announced the UK was in “turmoil” and that it was “up to the people” whether she remains in charge of the country - while pointedly adding that he considers Mr Johnson to be a friend.

The President’s comments, made as he prepared to depart for a European trip which will include a visit to the UK, preceded the resignation of two Conservative vice-chairs over their opposition to Mrs May’s plans for Britain’s future relations with the EU. Ben Bradley and Maria Caulfield warned that Mrs May’s plans for close links with Europe after Brexit risked handing Jeremy Corbyn the keys to Downing Street.

Conservative divisions on the issue are swiftly descending into outright civil war. Earlier in the day, former leaders Lord Howard and William Hague criticised rebels, with the latter’s blunt assessment calling on Brexiteers to accept the “harsh truth” that pursuing a hard Brexit would likely fail to clear the Commons, risk thousands of job losses and threaten peace in Northern Ireland.

In a remark addressed in particular to Mr Johnson, Mr Hague said: “Being a romantic on this issue is all very well but is of no practical use to the country. It is an indulgence not a policy.”

While Mr Johnson may have spoken in his usual colourful tones about the death of the Brexit “dream” in his resignation letter on Monday, the situation is swiftly descending into a political nightmare for the Conservative Party.