David Cameron to allow peers criticise EU deal

Brushing aside fears from senior colleagues he has set the scene for open civil war in the Conservative Party, British Prime Minister David Cameron is to allow his cabinet to publicly condemn any deal he strikes with Brussels next month to try and keep the country in the EU.

Michael Heseltine, a Tory ex-deputy prime minister, insisted such a move would make Cameron a “global laughing stock”.

Cameron gambled that it was the only way to avoid mass cabinet resignations ahead of a Brexit referendum which could be held as soon as June.