Brexit news latest: Theresa May refuses to budge on no deal and issues official call-out for troops to help manage EU exit chaos

Theresa May today rebuffed growing calls to rule out a no-deal Brexit by issuing a formal call-out notice for troops to help manage any chaos triggered by Britain crashing out of the EU.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson told Parliament that 3,500 regular and reserve forces would be ready to be deployed across the country.

They could swiftly bolster responses to any no-deal threats to the “welfare, health and security of UK citizens” and to the “economic stability of the UK”, the Ministry of Defence stressed. Military fuel tanker drivers, engineers, planners and logistics experts could be sent in to deal with any food, medicine and petrol shortage crises, as well as offering support in Whitehall and to town halls.

Mr Willamson said: “We will have 3,500 service personnel held at readiness, including regulars and reserves, in order to support any government department on any contingencies they may need.”

In another development, it was claimed a group of ministers are threatening to resign if they are ordered to vote against moves to empower Parliament to take key decisions on Brexit.

Tory MP Nick Boles said he had been assured by a “large single-digit number” of Cabinet ministers that they will not vote against the cross-party plan.

As the military plans gathered pace:

• A new poll revealed support to Remain in the EU had risen sharply amid the Brexit turmoil to 56 per cent, compared with 44 per cent Leave.

• Tony Blair criticised Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for refusing to take part in crisis Brexit talks with the Prime Minister unless she rejects no deal.

• Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner insisted Mrs May had to “take away the gun that she has been trying to hold to Parliament’s head by saying ‘it’s either my deal or no deal’.”

• The Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers were holding more talks with senior MPs to break the deadlock in Parliament.

• Cabinet minister Liz Truss publicly rejected Britain staying in a customs union, despite Mrs May appearing to have softened her red line on this issue after her Brexit blueprint was crushed this week in the worst defeat suffered by a government.

• France triggered a contingency plan for a no-deal Brexit, including a £44 million fund for ports and airport.

This morning Mr Williamson issued a call-out order for about 350 Army reservists to reinforce regular Army units, act as liaison officers and provide specialist skills.

They are set to get call-up notices from February 10 to join the no-deal contingency operation. At the same time, thousands of regular forces are being identified ready for deployment.

More than 20 Armed Forces officers are already working in Whitehall departments, including the Home Office and Department for Transport.