Embers of May’s deal ERG ‘flood’ of support

Group to back Mrs May’s deal. They claimed the move was necessary to avoid “losing Brexit altogether”, but were greeted by cries of betrayal from hardline ERG members, who have taken to calling themselves “the Spartans” and insist they won’t change course under any circumstances.

It came just minutes Mrs May confirmed she would step down for the second stage of the negotiations, with Mr Johnson telling a meeting of the ERG they now had “little choice but to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement”.

A friend of Mr Johnson’s last night told The Daily Telegraph he had reluctantly changed course after concluding “on balance” that the “threat to Brexit” was now too significant to ignore.

The former foreign secretary’s announcement saw the “trickle” of Brexiteers supporting the deal turn into a “flood”, with Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, and John Whittingdale, the former culture secretary, following suit. Conor Burns, one of Mr Johnson’s closest allies, said he was “absolutely right” to point out that Brexit was in danger of being thwarted by Europhile MPS.

His comments were echoed by Zac Goldsmith, the former London mayoral candidate, who said: “Boris is absolutely right to back the deal … His intervention might just save Brexit.”

By 7pm the list of ERG members prepared to back the deal had swelled to 24, with one insider claiming “dozens” more would follow overnight.

Jacob Rees-mogg, the ERG leader, confirmed he would back the deal if the DUP either voted for it or abstained.

However, the decision to break ranks provoked a backlash among ERG hardliners, with Steve Baker, its deputy chairman, telling the meeting he had been “consumed with a ferocious rage”.

In a passionate speech in which his “voice cracked with emotion”, Mr Baker claimed he “could tear this place [Parliament] down and bulldoze it into the river”, according to one insider.

He added: “These fools and knaves and cowards are voting on things they don’t even understand. We’ve been put in this place by people whose addiction to power without responsibility has led them to put the choice of no Brexit or this deal.”

While the late shift will be seen as a major boost for Mrs May, of last night there were still more than 50 Tory MPS opposed to her deal, meaning the chances of it passing were remote.