AROUND a dozen Conservative MPs would support a vote of no confidence in the Government to stop a no-deal Brexit, Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood has said.
The rebels would include ministers as well as backbenchers, Mr Ellwood claimed, in a stark warning to the Tory leadership contenders who have kept the option of a no-deal Brexit on the table.
Britain is due to leave the European Union on October 31, although Parliament could attempt to block Brexit if no agreement has been struck with Brussels.
On the possibility of some Tory MPs supporting the "nuclear option" of denying the Government Commons support if it pushed for no deal, Mr Ellwood told the BBC: "I believe that absolutely is the case.
"I think a dozen or so members of parliament would be on our side, would be voting against supporting a no-deal and that would include ministers as well as backbenchers."
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At a hustings of Tory members on Saturday, Jeremy Hunt said he would "100%" leave the EU without a deal if an agreement was well out of reach come October 31, while Boris Johnson insisted he would "get Brexit done".
Mr Ellwood's warning adds to that made by former attorney general Dominic Grieve, who suggested Tory MPs could push their next leader out of office if they pursue no deal.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If the new prime minister announces taking the country on a magical mystery tour towards an October 31 crash-out, I don't think that prime minister is going to survive very long.
"Of course, the prime minister could exercise his absolute right of then going to the country and having a general election.
"But that is likely to be catastrophic for the future of the Conservative Party."
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