A UK MINISTER has quit Theresa May’s government, claiming the Prime Minister is “legitimising” Jeremy Corbyn by seeking his help in avoiding a no-deal Brexit.

Assistant government whip Nigel Adams announced his resignation this morning with speculation that his departure could be the first of more to come.

Speaking yesterday after a marathon day of talks with her Cabinet colleagues, May said she wanted an extension to the Brexit deadline in order to pass her Withdrawal Agreement through parliament.

May said she would seek talks with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in order to facilitate this and there were suggestions that May could pursue a softer Brexit, such as the inclusion of a customs union arrangement, as part of these talks.

Boris Johnson said last night that this development was “very disappointing” and Adams has echoed these words while resigning from government.

“I believe we have two great challenges. We must deliver the Brexit that the people voted for. And we must prevent the calamity of a Corbyn government. Sadly, I fear that we are now at risk of simultaneously failing in both,” Adams wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister.

At Cabinet yesterday, there was an opportunity to get onto the front foot for once. However, by legitimising and turning to Jeremy Corbyn, to assist you at this crucial stage, rather than being bold, is grave error.

During last night’s statement in Downing Street, May said that although she believed the UK could “make a success” of no-deal in the long run, leaving with a deal would be preferable.

In response to this position, Adams said that May was abandoning the option of no deal.

“I and many others agreed with your previous position that no deal is better than a bad deal,” he wrote.

“It now seems that you and your cabinet have decided that a deal – cooked up with a Marxist who has never once in his political life, put British interests first – is better than no deal.”

A front page story in today’s Daily Telegraph reported that May was “ignoring the will of her Cabinet” by seeking Corbyn’s help instead of pursuing no deal and that “a full-scale Tory rebellion” could follow.

May’s director of communications denied the story this morning.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Sean O’Rourke, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said that May working with Corbyn was “the best way” forward.

He said that Ireland would be in favour of granting May’s the extension she spoke about.

Coveney added that he felt a no-deal Brexit was still “unlikely” but that people should be prepared for it nonetheless.

“We would not be being honest with people if we did not encourage businesses in particular that aren’t as prepared as they should be, to continue to be prepared for all eventualities,” he said.