This archive report was first published on 1 October 2019.
Published on October 1, 2019, a tense atmosphere emerged at the UK Conservative party's annual conference in Manchester, northwest England, as Brexit divisions came to the forefront.
Former finance minister Philip Hammond and other expelled MPs stayed away from the conference, citing a party that has become increasingly strident in its tone and intolerant of dissent.
However, three expelled former ministers, including former justice minister David Gauke, defended their stance in a small meeting room, arguing that leaving the EU without a divorce deal would be disastrous.
Gauke sparked a heated reaction when he compared the Conservative party to the party of US President Donald Trump, saying, "We are no longer the party of (wartime leader Winston) Churchill, we are more the party of (US President Donald) Trump."
Former attorney general Dominic Grieve, who has led parliament's battles with the government since the 2016 referendum, also spoke out, calling for a fresh poll on Brexit and warning of the dangers of a "no deal" scenario.
"In my mind being a party loyalist always means putting country before party when that is necessary," Grieve said. "And we are at the moment 30 days away from a possibly catastrophic event in our country's peacetime modern history."
The law that the rebels helped pass requires Prime Minister Boris Johnson to seek a Brexit delay if he cannot agree a divorce deal by a Brussels summit later this month.
Johnson has yet to show he can get a deal to allow Brexit on October 31, or how he can get around the law requiring him to delay if he fails.
