Brexit news - live: Theresa May travels to Brussels for crunch EU talks hours after Tory MPs quit party over Brexit then savage her record
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May was dealt a major blow ahead of a crucial trip to Brussels when three Conservative MPs dramatically quit the party over Brexit.
Pro-European Tories Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen resigned minutes before prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, citing Ms May’s “disastrous” handling of Brexit as their motivation for joining the new Independent Group.
In an emotional press conference, Ms Allen said the prime minister had been bullied into submission’’ by the European Research Group (ERG) and was “dragging the country and parliament kicking and screaming to the edge of a no deal abyss.’’
She also claimed ministers “at all levels” of government were sympathetic to their project, which saw the 11-strong group reach equal footing in the Commons with the Liberal Democrats and overtake the DUP, who prop up Ms May’s administration.
Meanwhile, Ms May said she held “constructive” talks with European Commission boss Jean-Claude Juncker as she scrambles to secure changes to her Brexit deal. She said that “we have made progress” and that talks would continue “at pace”.
And Labour was plunged into fresh controversy when it suspended ex-Militant member Derek Hatton over an allegedly antisemitic tweet – just two days after he was allowed to rejoin the party.
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Speaking in Berlin on Brexit, Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, said: "I am confident, Theresa May is confident, the British government is confident, on the basis of huge numbers of discussions with UK parliamentarians, that if we solve the issue of the backstop then we can pass this deal through parliament."
Insisting that the March 29 deadline could be met he said: "The issue about an extension is whether that really solves anything.
"The last thing that people in the UK and indeed the rest of the EU want is Brexit paralysis with this issue hanging over Europe like a shadow.
"I think people want to move on, they want to demonstrate that we can have a Brexit that respects the referendum result but also means that we remain the best of friends with our neighbours in Europe."
BREAKING: Conservatives Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston have resigned from the party to join the newly-formed Independent Group in the House of Commons.
In response to three Conservative MPs resigning from the party, Theresa May has issued a statement.
“I am saddened by this decision – these are people who have given dedicated service to our party over many years, and I thank them for it.
“Of course, the UK’s membership of the EU has been a source of disagreement both in our party and our country for a long time. Ending that membership after four decades was never going to be easy.
“But by delivering on our manifesto commitment and implementing the decision of the British people we are doing the right thing for our country. And in doing so, we can move forward together towards a brighter future.”
“I am determined that under my leadership the Conservative Party will always offer the decent, moderate and patriotic politics that the people of this country deserve.”
Commenting on the news that Tory MPs have joined the splinter party, Momentum's national coordinator Laura Parker said:
"It's clear that the new party is a Blairite-Tory coalition aimed at resurrecting a dead agenda of privatisation, deregulation and tax cuts for the super rich.
"This is not what their constituents voted for. Umunna, Leslie and Smith's constituents overwhelmingly voted Labour and have ended up with an MP in coalition with the Tories.
"This is unfair, undemocratic and dishonest. The only decent thing to do is to call a by-election and let their constituents decide."
A Labour source tells The Independent: "The Independent Group has now become a Tory-establishment coalition.
"What unites the 11 MPs is their business as usual support for austerity, corporate tax cuts and big money corrupting politics."
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said his party would "hold out the hand of friendship" to the independents.
"There is clearly some very radical changes now afoot as both the Conservatives and Labour have been taken over by militant groups, driving out more moderate MPs," he said.
"We will hold out the hand of friendship to the independent MPs with whom we already have a good working relationship.
"In the short term we will be concentrating on securing a People's Vote, with an option to stay in the EU."
Moment of parliamentary history - three Conservative MPs, Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen, and Sarah Wollaston - join the opposition benches.
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