UK prime minister fights to stop Cabinet exodus over Brexit

LONDON — British Prime Minister Theresa May has met with her Cabinet as she tries to restore government unity after the resignations of two top ministers over Brexit.

Tuesday’s meeting comes after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis quit, saying May’s plans for future relations with the European Union don’t live up to their idea of Brexit.

Pro-Brexit lawmakers say May’s plan for free trade and regulatory alignment with the bloc will stop Britain forging an independent economic course.

May’s government is split between “Brexiteers” and a group that wants to stay close to the EU, Britain’s biggest trading partner.

May replaced Johnson with loyal former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, and gave Davis’ job to ambitious minister Dominic Raab in a bid to shore up her authority. /ee