Theresa May Fights to Contain Her Own Brexit Revolt

Every morning, Gavin Barwell rises early, puts on a smart suit, makes his way across London to Downing Street, smiles to the police officer guarding the famous door of No. 10, sits at his desk deep in the prime minister’s inner sanctum, and tries to stop the British government from ripping itself apart.

As Prime Minister Theresa May’s chief of staff, Barwell is a cheerful, hardworking, popular figure in the Conservative Party. He’s also a testament to his boss’s perilously fragile position. Beset by rivals, weakened by a self-inflicted wound, and facing the daunting task of negotiating a successful Brexit deal, May needs Barwell to, at the very least, put a happy face on things. Her troubles stem from her decision earlier this year to call an election when she didn’t have to. Riding high in the polls, May counted on boosting her slender majority in Parliament and strengthening her hand in negotiations with the European Union. Instead, she suffered a humiliating reversal, losing her majority and almost her job.