David Gauke, a leading Remainer minister, said a customs union with the EU was not his preferred option but was better than No Deal, saying he would resign if Number 10 sought a cliff-edge Brexit. 

But the PM faces resignations from Brexiteers such as Andrea Leadsom or Michael Gove if she gives into the Remain wing and chooses a soft Brexit. 

Tonight Downing Street fired back at Mr Gauke, saying its Brexit plans ‘do not include membership of the customs union’.  ADVERTISING

MPs are voting on their preferred alternatives to Brexit tomorrow night before Mrs May is expected to have one final go at passing her deal on Tuesday or Wednesday.  Video playing bottom right…Click here to expand to full page

Mrs May must resolve Britain’s Brexit position in one direction or the other before an emergency EU summit on April 10 that will lock in either a No Deal or long delay. 

After the PM’s deal was crushed three times by MPs, the Commons may back an alternative plan of a permanent UK-EU customs union tomorrow.  

However, Brexiteer Cabinet ministers including Michael Gove and Penny Mordaunt signed a letter on Friday warning the PM against a soft Brexit.   

The showdown comes as Tory deputy chairman James Cleverly admitted the party was engaged in ‘sensible and pragmatic planning’ for a snap general election, after the PM warned MPs darkly on Friday, when her deal was voted down for a third time: ‘I fear we are reaching the limits of this process in this house.’ 

She has repeatedly sworn she will not negotiate for a Brexit which contradicts her 2017 election manifesto. 

But with an opinion poll last night putting Labour up five points on 41 per cent and the Conservatives down seven to 36 per cent, the government chief whip Julian Smith said he was opposing plans for a snap poll with ‘every sinew in his body’. 

Ex-Prime Minister Sir John Major warned Mrs May against calling an election to end the impasse and said the country may need a time-limited ‘national government’ including both Tory and Labour politicians.  

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Mr Gauke said Mrs May (pictured today at church in Maidenhead) must consider tearing up the Tory party manifesto to get an orderly Brexit through Parliament if necessary

Amid the impasse – less than two weeks before Britain faces crashing out with No Deal – Mr Gauke told the BBC’s Andrew Marr ‘we would have to consider very closely what parliament decides to do’. 

He said: ‘I would rather leave the customs union but we also have to recognise that my party does not have the votes to get the manifesto commitment through the Commons.

‘Sometimes you have to accept your second or third choice.’ 

Mr Gauke explicitly blamed Tory rebels, telling Marr Britain was in this situation because ‘too many colleagues’ were not backing the deal. 

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They were among hardliners summoned to the Buckingham retreat on Sunday afternoon as the MP desperately searches for a way to break the current Brexit deadlock.

Former foreign secretary Mr Johnson and European Research Group chairman Mr Rees-Mogg – along with his son Peter – led a string of senior politicians including Brexiteer former ministers David David, Iain Duncan Smith, Dominic Raab and Steve Baker.

They were joined by serving ministers including Environment Secretary Michael Gove, Mrs May’s de-facto deputy prime minister and Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington, and Tory Chief Whip Julian Smith.ADVERTISING

 Their attendance came after Mr Gove and Mr Lidington had both pledged their support to the beleaguered Prime Minister after being named at the centre of the Cabinet coup.

As senior cabinet figures complained that the Prime Minister’s judgement had reportedly gone ‘haywire’ in recent weeks Mr Lidington was named as a possible caretaker if she is forced out.

But Brexiteers who could not stomach the little-known Remainer being in charge at a crucial time for Brexit are plotting to get 2016 Leave mastermind and Environment Secretary Mr Gove installed instead.

However both men distanced themselves from any disloyalty today, with Mr Gove telling the BBC he ‘absolutely’ backed Mrs May, calling for ‘cool heads’. Video playing bottom right…Click here to expand to full page

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Jacob Rees-Mogg arrived at Chequers this afternoon with his son beside him. Boris Jonson was also among the guests at the discussion on Brexit

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Iain Duncan Smith arrived in a flashy soft-topped sports car at Chequers, while Dominic Raab opted for a more conventional vehicle

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Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis was driven into Chequers, as was Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who earlier said he was fully behind the Prime Minister

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Former Brexit minister Steve Baker, an ultra-Brexiteer, made the short drive from his High Wycombe constituency, with David Lidington driving over from Aylesbury, having earlier denied having any desire to replace Mrs May

He said: ‘It is not the time to change the captain of the ship, I think what we need to do is chart the right course. 

‘I think the Prime Minister has charted that right course by making sure that we have a deal which honours the referendum mandate and also allows us to leave in a way which means we can strengthen our economy and also take advantage of life outside the European Union.’

His comments came after Mr Lidington had told reporters in his Aylesbury constituency today: ‘I don’t think that I’ve any wish to take over from the PM (who) I think is doing a fantastic job.

‘I tell you this: one thing that working closely with the Prime Minister does is cure you completely of any lingering shred of ambition to want to do that task.

‘I have absolute admiration for the way she is going about it.’

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The Commons Speaker cited a Commons precedent from 1604 to inflict an extraordinary blow to Mrs May’s hopes of getting her divorce through Parliament – unless it is ‘substantially’ adapted with just ten days until Britain leaves the EU.

The PM’s Brexit plans have been left in tatters having spent days trying to convince the DUP, Tory Brexiteers and Labour rebels to back her deal at the last minute. 

Mrs May will fly to Brussels on Thursday and must get a new breakthrough from the EU before presenting it to Mr Bercow, who would have the final say on whether a new vote goes ahead.    

If she fails her deal will be killed off with No Deal or a long-term delay to Brexit the most likely outcomes on March 29. 

Mr Bercow told the Commons: ‘If the Government wishes to bring forward a new proposition that is neither the same or substantially the same as that disposed of by the House on March 12, that would be entirely in order.

‘What the Government cannot legitimately do is resubmit to the House the same proposition or substantially the same proposition that was rejected by 149 votes’. 

Asked if he was worried about the ramifications of his decision he added: ‘I’ve never lost a wink of sleep over anything work related’. 

His 11th hour decision will infuriate No 10 who admitted that he had not warned them he was giving a statement – let alone what it was about – before dropping his Brexit bombshell this afternoon.  

The PM learned the news at just after 3.30pm today and minutes later her spokesman said: ‘The Speaker did not forewarn us of the content of his statement or the fact that he was making one. We were not given any advance warning he was going to say that.’ 

Getting around Mr Bercow’s intervention could force the Government to end the current session early and hold a quick-fire State Opening of Parliament.

While technically possible it would kill off a raft of laws and proposals in progress in Parliament – many of which are Brexit related – but is a certain way to also kill off the Speaker’s bar on a new vote.

May loyalist James Cleverly confronted the Speaker and demanded to know why he had not made the ruling after the first vote on January 15 claiming MPs may have ‘voted differently’ had he spoken earlier.  

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EU Council President Donald Tusk suggested if MPs cannot agree a deal and don’t want to crash out without one, they should consider reversing the historic vote.

While EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned that ‘time is almost up’ as he announced no deal planning will be ramped up in the wake of the defeat.

He made a dash back to Brussels for emergency Brexit meetings as the deal was voted down by 432 votes to 202 – meaning a staggering 230 MPs voted against her. 

Mr Tusk said: ‘If a deal is impossible, and no one wants no deal, then who will finally have the courage to say what the only positive solution is?’  

Mr Juncker said: ‘The risk of a disorderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom has increased with this evening’s vote. 

‘While we do not want this to happen, the European Commission will continue its contingency work to help ensure the EU is fully prepared.

‘I urge the United Kingdom to clarify its intentions as soon as possible. Time is almost up.’ 

While Guy Verhoftstadt, the European Parliament’s Brexit chief, accused British of MPs of not nowing what they want.

He tweeted: ‘The UK Parliament has said what it doesn’t want. Now is the time to find out what UK parliamentarians want. 

‘In the meantime, the rights of citizens must be safeguarded.’ 

The PM’s official spokesman said there are ‘no plans’ for her to meet with Mr Juncker tomorrow.

But she is under huge pressure from all sides to head back to the negotiating table in Brussels to tear up the hated Irish backstop. 

MEPs in the European Parliament will debate the state of the Brexit deal tomorrow morning.

It comes as Germany promised to launch a fresh round of Brexit talks.

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