Richard Harrington – who last week urged hardline Brexiteers to leave the Tories and join Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party – said his battle was inside the Conservatives. 

But as the new Independent Group appealed for members from across the Commons, Mr Harrington said only he and others ‘intend to win this battle’.

Independent group ringleader Chuka Umunna today predicted the group would turn into a full-blown political party within months.

He made a direct plea to ‘demoralised’ Tory MPs frustrated at the ‘Ukipisation’ of the party’s grass roots as ex-Ukip members turn to the Conservatives. 

Mr Umunna’s call came as Westminster waits to see who will jump next. If the group can swell to 36 members it could take the SNP’s place as the third biggest party and get to question the Prime Minister every week.

Tory MPs Sarah Wollaston, Anna Soubry and Heidi Allen are all the subject of intense scrutiny amid rumours they could defect.

Former minister Nick Boles said it was ‘b*******’ to suggest he could defect today – after appearing to leave the question open yesterday.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been warned he could lose as many as 50 MPs if he refuses to tackle the anti-Semitism, bullying and hard-left culture cited by the seven politicians who triggered the biggest split in British politics since 1981.

Dr Wollaston’s intervention will raise expectations she and other Tory MPs could join the ‘gang of seven’ centrists who walked out of Labour yesterday

The rebel MPs have chosen to sit next to the DUP in the Commons today. Angela Smith, Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker and Mike Gapes are pictured in the Commons top right behind Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine speaking today

Mr Harrington told the Telegraph he ‘perfectly understands’ what Independent Group is doing and wishes them all the best – adding the for the Conservative Party by one nation Tories like himself and Greg Clark is not lost.

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