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The Notorious ERG: the funniest boyband names for Brexiteers' 'album photo'

You would be forgiven for mistaking this cohort of Conservative Brexiteer MPs for a newly-formed boy band as they walked towards Downing Street this morning.

A picture taken in Whitehall of MPs Owen Paterson, Iain Duncan Smith, David Davis, Mark Francois and Steve Baker walking as a unit is being compared to an album cover by scores of people.

Twitter users shared their name suggestions for the Tory boy band, with Marooned 5, the Backstop Boys, the Out-of-Touchables, Wrong Direction and Dire Straits among those put forward.

“Take Tw**” was another popular option, along with the The Notorious ERG, Backbench Boys and Brexit Pistols.

Another suggested “Simple Minds”, while others said “Daftwerk” and “Brexity’s Midnight Responsibility Shunners” were suited to the MPs heading to Downing Street after last night’s no-confidence motion in the Government was defeated.

It comes as Theresa May and senior Cabinet ministers meet with representatives of other parties in a bid to find consensus to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit.

Owen Paterson, Iain Duncan Smith and Steve Baker leave the Cabinet Office (PA)
Owen Paterson, Iain Duncan Smith and Steve Baker leave the Cabinet Office (PA)

However, Jeremy Corbyn is refusing to meet Mrs May until she takes the prospect of a no-deal Brexit off the table, and was instead going on the offensive by delivering a speech in a marginal Conservative constituency.

After seeing off the vote of no-confidence in her Government tabled by the Labour leader on Tuesday, Mrs May invited the other party leaders for individual talks to find a way forward on Brexit.

But she told the House of Commons she was holding to the "principles" behind the Withdrawal Agreement which was roundly rejected by MPs, including control of borders, laws and money and an independent trade policy.