Theresa May was dealt a major blow ahead of a crucial trip to Brussels when three Conservative MPs dramatically quit the party over Brexit.
Pro-European Tories Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen resigned minutes before prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, citing Ms May’s “disastrous” handling of Brexit as their motivation for joining the new Independent Group.
In an emotional press conference, Ms Allen said the prime minister had been bullied into submission’’ by the European Research Group (ERG) and was “dragging the country and parliament kicking and screaming to the edge of a no deal abyss.’’
She also claimed ministers “at all levels” of government were sympathetic to their project, which saw the 11-strong group reach equal footing in the Commons with the Liberal Democrats and overtake the DUP, who prop up Ms May’s administration.
Meanwhile, Ms May said she held “constructive” talks with European Commission boss Jean-Claude Juncker as she scrambles to secure changes to her Brexit deal. She said that “we have made progress” and that talks would continue “at pace”.
And Labour was plunged into fresh controversy when it suspended ex-Militant member Derek Hatton over an allegedly antisemitic tweet – just two days after he was allowed to rejoin the party.
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Theresa May heads to Brussels in hope of breaking Brexit deadlock with new plan
The PM managed to maintain the support of Tory Brexiteers for now by promising to make some of their proposals the basis for future discussions on trade
EU leaders they have 'heavy responsibility' to help secure Brexit deal, Jeremy Hunt warns
Foreign secretary warns that leaving EU without an agreement would be 'deeply damaging, economically and politically'"Certainly some Members of Parliament are getting very fed up," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
"There are some, I think - not including me - who probably are contemplating leaving if the party moves too far to the right and no longer represents what they regard as the mainstream Conservative views they have held for all the previous years.
"I hope that doesn't happen. I hope it doesn't come to that."
Labour calls for greater powers to trigger by-elections if MPs defect from political parties
Labour is calling for constituents to be given greater powers to trigger by-elections if their MP defects from the political party whose banner they were elected under.
The defiant action comes in response to an eighth MP - Joan Ryan - quitting the party in protest at Jeremy Corbyn's leadership as she claimed Labour had become "infected" by antisemitism and had "aided and abetted a hard Brexit".
Under existing legislation, voters can call for a petition for the recall of their MP, but only under certain circumstances, including an MP receiving a jail sentence of a year or less.
Labour MP Joan Ryan resigns from party to join Independent Group
Tory Party being 'hollowed out' by former Ukip members, John Major says
Sir John Major has launched a scathing attack on “zealot” Tory Brexiteers, accusing ”extreme” Conservative MPs of acting as “a party within a party”.
In a move likely to fuel Tory warfare over Brexit, the former prime minister accused some members of the European Research Group (ERG) of Conservative MPs of having “little or nor affinity to moderate, pragmatic and tolerant Conservatism”.
He said the Conservatives and Labour were both being “mainpulated by fringe opinion” and claimed right-wingers in his own party were shaping government policy “simply by being intransigent”.
Sir John urged moderate Conservative MPs to stay in the party rather than join the new Independent Group, insisting Tory and Labour MPs need to force their parties towards the political centre.
Insisting that the March 29 deadline could be met he said: "The issue about an extension is whether that really solves anything.
"The last thing that people in the UK and indeed the rest of the EU want is Brexit paralysis with this issue hanging over Europe like a shadow.
"I think people want to move on, they want to demonstrate that we can have a Brexit that respects the referendum result but also means that we remain the best of friends with our neighbours in Europe."
Jeremy Hunt asks Germany to lift ban on weapons sales to Saudi Arabia because of impact on arms dealers
The Foreign Secretary has written to the German government to ask it to start selling arms to Saudi Arabia again, after the country halted exports due to concerns about human rights.
Jeremy Hunt said he was concerned about the impact the recently imposed embargo would have on arms manufacturers’ balance sheets.
Germany has joined other EU countries including Denmark and Finland in ending arms sales in the wake of of evidence of war crimes being committed by Saudi coalition forces in Yemen.
BREAKING: Conservatives Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston have resigned from the party to join the newly-formed Independent Group in the House of Commons.
“I am saddened by this decision – these are people who have given dedicated service to our party over many years, and I thank them for it.“Of course, the UK’s membership of the EU has been a source of disagreement both in our party and our country for a long time. Ending that membership after four decades was never going to be easy.“But by delivering on our manifesto commitment and implementing the decision of the British people we are doing the right thing for our country. And in doing so, we can move forward together towards a brighter future.”“I am determined that under my leadership the Conservative Party will always offer the decent, moderate and patriotic politics that the people of this country deserve.”
"It's clear that the new party is a Blairite-Tory coalition aimed at resurrecting a dead agenda of privatisation, deregulation and tax cuts for the super rich.
"This is not what their constituents voted for. Umunna, Leslie and Smith's constituents overwhelmingly voted Labour and have ended up with an MP in coalition with the Tories.
"This is unfair, undemocratic and dishonest. The only decent thing to do is to call a by-election and let their constituents decide."
"There is clearly some very radical changes now afoot as both the Conservatives and Labour have been taken over by militant groups, driving out more moderate MPs," he said.
"We will hold out the hand of friendship to the independent MPs with whom we already have a good working relationship.
"In the short term we will be concentrating on securing a People's Vote, with an option to stay in the EU."
