Daily roundup 12 June: Brexit resignation, care applications, and energy drinks

The Conservative minister responsible for youth justice has quit his job over the way Theresa May is delivering Brexit, ahead of critical votes in the House of Commons. The Independent reports that Dr Phillip Lee went directly against official party policy in saying that the government should "go to the people, once again" for a decision on the final Brexit deal. He had been youth justice minister since July 2016.


The number of applications for children to be taken into care in May represented the second highest figure for a single month in recent history, figures published by Cafcass show. In May 2018, Cafcass received a total of 1,302 care applications. This figure is an 8.9 per cent increase on the 1,195 applications made in May 2017.


Restrictions should be placed on the sale of energy drinks to children, due to their harmful effects, MPs have been told. Professor Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, told members of the science and technology select committee that both the caffeine and sugar content in energy drinks is harmful to children and young people.


A man has been jailed for letting a mother abandon her child in his "drug den". The York Press reports that Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said the boy was "dirty, cold and hungry" when police found him. York Crown Court heard that officers looked for him at his mother's address and another address before finding him at the defendant's home.


The manager of an adoption and fostering service has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for her work in the sector. Susanna Daus, who works for Islington Council and is also a trustee of The Fostering Network, will be awarded a British Empire Medal for services to adoption and fostering.