Top Tories face ‘purge’ if they back Corbyn

however that was rejected by the former chancellor as “discourteous”.

Last night, Charles Walker, the acting chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPS, appealed for calm and urged Mr Johnson to “resist” stripping the whip from the rebels.

Mr Walker told The Daily Telegraph: “I say, as a committed Brexiteer and acting co-chair of the 1922, that talk of purging good Conservatives, who were serving in Government up until late July...is extremely unpleasant and the idea is one that must be resisted.”

The threat against the senior Tory MPS will now be discussed at a meeting of the 1922’s executive tomorrow, The Telegraph understands.

The plan to threaten to throw out the Tory rebels was hatched over a lunch of spicy lamb and curried vegetables followed by plum tart at Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country residence.

Mr Johnson, his chief adviser Dominic Cummings, and more than a dozen whips worked on the details. Earlier that morning Mr Gauke, the former justice secretary, disclosed details of the planned meeting with Mr Johnson.

In a challenge to Mr Johnson on Sky News, Mr Gauke said he wanted to hear “what is his plan to deliver a deal, when are we putting forward proposals to deal with this backstop issue”. He added: “I want to hear how he plans to deliver the legislation if we get a deal by October 31 because ...frankly I can’t see how he has got time to do that.”

Mr Gauke threatened to side with the rebels, saying: “Sometimes it’s between personal and national interests and the national interests have to come first.”

Hours later, Mark Spencer, the Chief Whip, phoned Mr Hammond to say: “It has become impossible for the Prime Minister to make this meeting.” Mr Spencer’s offer of a one-to-one was then declined “on the basis that it is discourteous that the Prime Minister has rejected the meeting with the 21 MPS”.

A source said: “The question is: ‘why is Boris so afraid to meet his own MPS?’.

“Given that the group were going to ask for proof that the Prime Minister’s negotiation is a sincere one, the fact that he has cancelled it without good reason suggests that it isn’t.”

The source said the rebels will spend the “next day or so” finalising whether or not to side with Labour and vote down a no-deal EU exit.