We must realise we’re in danger of losing Brexit, warns minister

‘It was so much closer today – MPS are finally figuring out that Brexit is in danger of being lost’

‘She needs to go now. There is no reason for her to stay any longer. To do what?’

by just six votes and a second referendum was rejected by just 27 votes.

Cabinet ministers are expected to demand a free vote on Monday, having been ordered to abstain over the indicative votes this week.

Government sources said Mrs May hoped that if a customs union or a second referendum proved popular with MPS, hard-core Brexiteers would finally decide to back her deal to avoid a softer alternative.

That would enable her to hold a fourth vote on the deal next Thursday or Friday. Downing Street believes it can find a way of persuading John Bercow, the Speaker, to allow another vote on the deal despite his insistence that it has to be “substantially different” from what has been rejected before.

No10 would then try to persuade the EU to extend its offer of a May 22 departure date, despite the offer expiring yesterday.

One Cabinet minister said: “It was so much closer today – MPS are finally figuring out that Brexit is in danger of being lost.

“After all these years and all these months of debate, a lot of MPS have still not focused on what this might mean. The votes next week might finally make them realise they are in danger of losing Brexit.”

Government sources said Mrs May could even organise a “run-off ” between her deal and the result of Monday’s indicative votes. If she is defeated again she is likely to ask the European Union for a long Brexit extension, which would involve Britain taking part in the European Parliament elections in May.

The Prime Minister will also contemplate holding a general election, but senior backbenchers said the party would not tolerate her fighting another election.

Nigel Evans, the executive secretary of the 1922 Committee of back-bench Tory MPS, said: “If she is going to go back to the European Union and ask for an extension that involves taking part in the European elections she needs to go now. There is no reason for her to stay any longer. To do what?

“She can trigger a leadership contest straight away and it could be wrapped up in a couple of weeks.”

Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, responded to yesterday’s Government defeat by arranging an emergency summit of EU leaders for April 10, while the European Commission said a no-deal Brexit was now a “likely” outcome.

And in a sign that the United States is growing impatient with the delays, Donald Trump’s national security adviser last night said the UK was at the top of the queue for a trade deal.

John Bolton told Sky News: “People who worry about the UK crashing out of the European Union – they are going to crash right into the United States.”