Corbyn’s starting gun fires prematurely as ERG and DUP pledge to back beleaguered Prime Minister

JEREMY CORBYN’S attempt to bring down the Government through a motion of no confidence looked set to fail last night as the Democratic Unionists and the European Research Group of Tory Brexiteers pledged to stand by Theresa May.

As Mr Corbyn sought to rally disillusioned Tory MPS to his cause, Arlene Foster confirmed her 10 MPS would vote against the censure motion and kill off the prospects of a general election and a Labour government.

And in another blow to Labour, the ERG confirmed its members would “of course be voting with the Government”.

Speaking after the Government’s crushing defeat, Mrs Foster said she would work “constructively” with the Prime Minister for “a better deal”.

She added that the Commons had delivered an “unmistakable message” that the Irish backstop was unacceptable while also providing Mrs May with the leverage to secure more concessions from Brussels. “While some may wish to use this defeat to boost their political ambitions, we will give the Government the space to set out a plan,” she said.

“The Prime Minister must now go back to the European Union and seek fundamental change to the Withdrawal Agreement.”

It came after Mr Corbyn’s scathing attack in the wake of the Government’s 230-vote defeat. Announcing the vote of no confidence in the Commons last night, he said: “The result of tonight’s vote is the greatest defeat for a government since the 1920s in this House.

“This is a catastrophic defeat for this Government. After two years of failed negotiations, the House of Commons has delivered its verdict on her Brexit deal and that verdict is absolutely decisive. She cannot seriously believe that after two years of failure, she is capable of negotiating a good deal for the people of this country. On the most important issue facing us, this Government has lost the confidence of this House and this country.”

The Labour leader was today due to release a film, Our Country, in which he set out how he would unite Leavers and Remainers behind his post-brexit vision. As revealed by The Daily Telegraph, Mr Corbyn was then to go tomorrow to Hastings, Amber Rudd’s constituency, where he expected to deliver a speech that fired the starting gun on an election campaign. The constituency was likely to become a key target seat for Labour, with Ms Rudd wielding a wafer-thin majority of 346.

Last night, a party insider said Ms Rudd’s seat would be a focal point of the campaign, as she had been identified as a serious contender to succeed Mrs May. Mr Corbyn had already made a number of trips to the constituency, with Labour determined to build on its “much better than expected” share of the vote from 2017.

Mr Corbyn’s broadcast saw him personally narrate his vision for the country and appeal to the country’s “tradition of fairness and tolerance” to heal the Brexit divide.

It built on themes and messages conveyed in a film unveiled during the party’s annual conference in Liverpool last year, which focused on small towns in England and Wales and the effects of austerity, which received more than half a million views on Twitter within hours of its release. Labour was preparing to invest heavily in social media campaigning were it able force an election.

While it did not mention Brexit explicitly, The Telegraph understood it would be themed upon a post-eu Britain and identify many grievances shared by Leave and Remain voters.

It would also highlight Labour’s support for refugees, ending the privatisation of the NHS and plans for a national education service.

Meanwhile, Mrs May was bracing

‘She cannot seriously believe after two years of failure, she is capable of negotiating a good deal for the country’

herself for the vote of no confidence, which required only a majority of one to succeed. The vote was expected to take place shortly after Prime Minister’s Questions. If MPS backed it, Mrs May was expected to resign, leaving the Conservatives with 14 days to form a new administration capable of winning a subsequent confidence vote. Failing that, Mr Corbyn could attempt to form a coalition government, though the chances of this were considered remote.