Brexit latest: Andrea Leadsom says Government 'absolutely' determined to keep no-deal on table

Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom has said the Government is “absolutely" determined to keep a no-deal Brexit on the table as an option.

The Leader of the Common’s remarks came despite another minister Alistair Burt saying during a series of late-night tweets that there would not be a no-deal Brexit.

Ms Leadsom told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme that the Government was determined to use the threat of a no-deal Brexit in its negotiating strategy with the EU.

"The Government does not want no-deal, but it is there because that is the legal default position, and any competent government must prepare for all eventualities," she told Today.

Earlier in the programme Remain-backing Tory backbencher Dominic Grieve said that a dozen or so ministers could resign if Mrs May refuses to extend Brexit talks beyond the March 29 deadline.

Asked about the prospect of ministers resigning to block no-deal, Ms Leadsom said: "Resignations from Government do happen... People have very, very strong heartfelt views about leaving the EU or remaining within it. That is a matter for them as individuals."

On Thursday afternoon, Mrs May lost a Commons vote on a motion that reiterated support for the Government to continue to engage with the EU on alternatives to the controversial Irish backstop arrangement in the deal which is designed to prevent a hard border.

But the pro-Brexit European Research Group abstained from the vote because they believed that the wording reflected that Mrs May was taking a no-deal Brexit off the table. With some Remainers failing to vote and five Conservative MPs voting with the opposition, the Government was left with a defeat of 303 to 258 votes.

Ms Leadsom defended Mrs May's decision not to remain in the Commons to hear the result of Thursday's vote in which she suffered a humiliating defeat: "The Prime Minister just this week spent two hours and 18 minutes answering questions in the chamber.

"Since October, she has spent 39 hours in the chamber answering questions. She has shown such commitment to make herself available to the House.

"The vote yesterday didn't change anything. The Government's position remains to resolve the issues of the backstop and then come back to Parliament with a fresh meaningful vote. It's essential we crack on with that work, and that's what we are doing."

The pro-EU Tory backbench MP Mr Grieve said that resignations could bring down the Government within the next few weeks.

Mr Grieve told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "My understanding is that many of them have made representations directly to the Prime Minister indicating their concern and telling the Prime Minister that if by the end of February there is no deal that has been got through the Commons, we ought to extend.

"If the Prime Minister refuses to do that, I think they face a very difficult choice, because unless we as a Parliament and as the House of Commons start to work together to take the necessary steps to prevent no-deal happening, no-deal could just occur. It could all be so chaotic, it might just happen by accident.

"My view is that if they feel she is not taking those steps, I think they are going to have to resign."

Asked how many ministers could resign, Mr Grieve said: "I think we are talking about a dozen or even more. Not entirely in the Cabinet, some are junior ministers."

On the number of Cabinet ministers who could resign, he said: "I'm always hesitant to speak on behalf of colleagues, but I think we are talking of up half a dozen."

Foreign minister Mr Burt had tweeted to respond to a claim from eurosceptic former Brexit secretary David Davis that the Government was ready to take the UK out of the EU without an agreement. He said: "No. We won't. We are not leaving without a deal. If you want to leave, you'd better agree one. In the next fortnight would help."

And the Foreign Office minister later added: "There is a majority in the House to reject no deal. Let's Leave, with the Agreement, and the chance of a new relationship with the EU. Honours both Leavers and those who voted to Remain. Let's all make the compromise."

Commenting on last night’s vote, the deputy chairman of the European Research Group of Brexit-backing Tory MPs, Steve Baker, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This whole mess is a storm in a teacup. What we needed to achieve here was to send a signal that we are not going to be associated with taking no-deal off the table."

He rejected suggestions that the ERG had undermined Mrs May's efforts to secure concessions from the EU by raising doubts in Brussels over whether she can deliver a Commons majority for a deal.

"We cannot get ourselves into a position where we are associated with rejecting the UK leaving the EU without a Withdrawal Agreement," he said. "It's a catastrophic and foolish negotiating error and we cannot be associated with it."