Amber Rudd warned the Prime Minister she could quit the Cabinet to back a plan to block no deal tonight.
The Work and Pensions Secretary said she would ‘wait and see’ what the orders to Tory MPs were on Tuesday night – insisting she wanted a free vote.
Tuesday sees the next stage of the Brexit drama come to a head as MPs vote on Theresa May’s Plan B and a raft of amendments on what to do next.
One of the rival plans is from senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper and would upend Commons rules to try and change the law to block a no deal exit on March 29.
Ms Rudd – a May loyalist who returned to the Cabinet just two months ago – wants to vote in favour of the plan despite it undermining Government policy.
Her warning to tonight’s Newsnight comes after Chancellor Philip Hammond warned a no deal Brexit would be a ‘betrayal’.
As the new Cabinet revolt unfolded today, a junior business minister Richard Harrington challenged the PM to sack him over claiming no deal would be a ‘disaster’.
Amber Rudd (pictured in Downing Street on Tuesday) warned the Prime Minister she could quit the Cabinet to back a plan to block no deal tonight
Who will back
Business minister Richard Harrington (left) hailed a bloodcurdling threat from Airbus that it could pull out of Britain if there is no agreement with Brussels. Chancellor Philip Hammond (right) warned that the economic damage from no-deal Brexit meant it would be as much of a ‘betrayal’ of the referendum as staying in the EU
Ms Rudd told tonight’s Newsnight: ‘At this stage I’m going to stick to trying to persuade govt to allow it to be a free vote. We’ll have to wait and see’
She added: ‘There is no doubt that No Deal would be bad for prosperity and bad for our security.
‘But at the same time, I want to make sure that people realise that the best way for us to avoid No Deal is to vote for the deal.’
Mr Harrington said he was ‘delighted’ by the intervention – which was apparently encouraged by the government – and would be ‘very happy’ to resign if the PM objected to him saying so publicly.
Airbus brands Brexit chaos ‘disgraceful’ and says it could leave Britain there is no deal
Airbus boss Tom Enders (file) today condemned the ‘disgraceful’ chaos surrounding Brexit and warned it could leave Britain if a no deal threatened its international competitiveness
Airbus today condemned the ‘disgraceful’ chaos surrounding Brexit and warned it could leave Britain if a no deal threatened its international competitiveness.
The aerospace giant, which employs 14,000 people in Britain, warned it could have to make ‘potentially very harmful decisions’ about its UK operations in a no deal.
It warned there were ‘plenty of countries’ that would welcome the firm with open arms if Britain became inhospitable to international companies.
Airbus’s move came as the Dutch government revealed it was in talks with 250 UK firms about luring them to the Netherlands.
Fears are rising about the future of British manufacturing amid wobbles in the car industry and after Dyson announced it was relocating its headquarters to Singapore.
The aerospace giant, which employs 14,000 people in Britain, declared it could have to make ‘potentially very harmful decisions’ about its UK operations in a no deal.
It warned there were ‘plenty of countries’ that would welcome the firm with open arms if Britain became inhospitable to international companies.
CEO Tom Enders urged Britons not to listen to ‘Brexiteers’ madness’ that the company was too established in the UK to leave.
Downing Street insisted it was pursuing a Brexit deal precisely to avoid the challenges of no deal – but insisted Britain would thrive whatever happens.
Challenged about Mr Hammond’s words, the PM’s official spokeswoman said: ‘I think you are putting a particular interpretation on his words there and I would encourage you to talk to the Chancellor and his team about what he actually meant.
‘What’s important is delivering the verdict of the British people and leaving the European Union.’
Asked if the PM’s thinks a no deal would be a disaster, she added: ‘They are not words the Prime Minister has ever used.
‘She has said that there will be disruption and we are working incredibly hard to minimise that.’
Remainers and Labour are trying to tie the PM’s hands in a series of crunch votes on Tuesday.
Jeremy Corbyn looks near-certain to back an amendment proposed by Yvette Cooper that would pave the way for the UK’s departure date to be delayed beyond March.
Mrs May’s allies have conceded she will be forced to try to extend Article 50 if the Houses passes the mechanism.
However, there have been some glimmers of hope for Mrs May amid evidence that Eurosceptics and the DUP are looking for a way of climbing down and supporting her plan.
Tory loyalist Simon Hoare told MailOnline the ‘penny appears to be dropping’ among hardline colleagues that the ‘prize’ of Brexit might be lost unless they compromise.
Theresa May (pictured right) is looking for a way to break the bitter deadlock in Parliament, with signs that Brexiteers such as Jacob Rees-Mogg (right) are looking for a way to climb down
Jeremy Corbyn (pictured on a visit near Milton Keynes today) looks near-certain to back an amendment that would pave the way for delaying the UK’s departure date beyond March
Speaking at Davos this afternoon, Mr Not leaving the EU ‘would be seen as a betrayal…
‘But leaving without a deal would undermine our future and would equally represent a betrayal of the promises made.’
Mr Harrington was also blunt, saying no deal would be a ‘disaster’ for Britain and praising Airbus for ‘telling it like it is’.
‘I really don’t believe in this idea. I am very happy to be public about it and very happy if the prime minister decides I am not the right person to do the business industry job,’ he said.
Red Len in No 10! Union chief McCluskey makes his first ever visit to May’s Downing Street as the PM tries to win the support of workers’ groups for her deal
Len McCluskey made his first visit to Theresa May’s Downing Street today as he took part in the Prime Minister’s desperate scramble to salvage her divorce deal.
The powerful Unite leader backed Jeremy Corbyn’s handling of Brexit and joined other union chiefs in demanding Mrs May protect workers’ rights.
TUC chief Frances O’Grady was the first of the union barons to emerge from Downing Street today, while GMB’s General Secretary Tim Roach and Unison’s Dave Prentis also saw the PM today.
Downing Street refused to reveal the detail of what was discussed at the meetings – which took place over tea and coffee – which are part of a wider effort to find a way through the Brexit impasse.
Unite boss ‘Red Len’ McCluskey appeared at the door to No 10 today (pictured) as union leaders accepted a rare invite to Theresa May’s Downing Street to discuss Brexit
TUC chief Frances O’Grady was the first of the union barons to emerge from Downing Street today (pictured), warning the PM had to give ground
Remainer MPs DROP bid to force a ‘People’s Vote’ and blame Corbyn for killing chances
Remainer MPs today dropped their bid to force a parliamentary vote demanding a second referendum – admitting they do not have enough support to back it (pictured, left to right, Luciana Berger,Sarah Wollaston and Chuka Umunna)
Remainer MPs today dropped their bid to force a parliamentary vote demanding a second referendum – admitting they do not have enough support to back it.
The gang of Labour and Tory MPs who were backing a so-called People’s Vote blasted Jeremy Corbyn for killing off their chances of winning.
Tory MP Dr Sarah Wollaston had planned to table the ‘doctor’s amendment’ to next Tuesday’s crunch Brexit motion to demand a second referendum.
But stood outside Parliament this morning flanked by pro-EU Labour MPs Luciana Berger and Chuka Umunna, she announced a U-turn.
The shock moves comes after a massive row among Remainer MPs over when to finally show their hand a call a Commons vote on another referendum.
Mr McCluskey said he hoped his first ever meeting with Theresa May was not a ‘PR stunt’.
He stressed that a no-deal Brexit would be ‘disastrous’ and urged the Prime Minister to extend Article 50 beyond March 29 for three months.
Mr McCluskey said Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was right to refuse to meet the Prime Minister unless she ruled out a no-deal Brexit.
The Unite leader said companies were now putting investment decisions on hold because of the ongoing uncertainty.
He added: ‘I cannot conceive any prime minister taking us out of Europe with a no deal – it would be catastrophic.’
Ms O’Grady said workers are worried about their jobs and need reassurance about their future after the UK leaves the EU.
‘The Prime Minister should do the right thing and take a no-deal off the table so that genuine dialogue can take place,’ she said.
Ms O’Grady added: ‘I was looking for guarantees on workers’ rights now and into the future.
‘We have a Prime Minister on a temporary contract- she cannot bind the hands of a future prime minister.
‘People wanting her job are on record as saying Brexit is an opportunity to reduce workers’ rights.
‘The Prime Minister should stop listening to the bad boys at the back of the class. More time is needed for genuine talks.’