Rebels are urged to back May in key vote

ANTI-BREXIT Tories are facing a grassroots revolt after threatening to side with Labour in a crunch Commons vote today.

A band of diehard Tory Remainers were refusing to back down last night over a Commons vote designed to give Parliament the final say over Brexit.

But the group of around a dozen MPs were facing calls from senior figures in their own constituencies to back the Prime Minister over her pledge to deliver on the referendum result.

Some have been warned they could even face deselection if they rebel today.

Downing Street described the rebels’ demands as ‘unacceptable’, and warned they would undermine the chances of Theresa May securing a good Brexit deal.

Mrs May was holding private talks with rebels in No 10 last night. But insiders said this afternoon’s vote remained ‘on a knife-edge’.

Rebel ringleader Dominic Grieve admitted his plans could be used to delay Brexit but said this would be ‘a price worth paying’ to prevent a messy departure.

Mr Grieve warned Mrs May that she risked defeat unless she ‘compromises’ with the rebels today.

Today’s showdown follows the collapse of talks last week over the wording of an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill designed to give MPs a ‘meaningful vote’ on the Brexit deal.