Brexit negotiations: Theresa May urged to walk away from talks if no progress made this month

Brexiteer Tories exploit Prime Minister's weakness to press for Chancellor Philip Hammond to be sidelined - and for a 'no deal' exit

Theresa May has been urged to walk away from the Brexit talks if they fail to make progress this month, as Brexiteer Tories exploit her weakness to press for a “no deal” exit.

Bernard Jenkin, a leading anti-EU backbencher, said the Prime Minister should “impose what she wants on the Cabinet” – by sidelining voices of compromise, such as Chancellor Philip Hammond.

He accused EU leaders such as the French President of “stringing us along” by threatening to delay talks on a future trade deal until next year.

And he insisted most Conservative MPs would be fully behind Ms May if she walked away if trade talks were still blocked after a crucial EU summit later this month.

“She will be cheered to the echo if she were to say, “Look I’ve had enough of this. We are going to get ready to leave in March 2019,” Mr Jenkin said.

Britain should only be “ready to talk” if the EU agreed to “come back to the table and talk to us about what kind of deal they want with us”.

The comments came amid signs of a concerted push by Brexit-backing Conservatives, who helped rescue the Prime Minister after last week’s failed coup attempt.

Some are pressing for Mr Hammond to be sacked for what one unnamed Tory called his attempt “to water down Brexit” with a lengthy transition period.

In a show of defiance, Ms May has also been warned that Boris Johnson will simply refuse to move if she attempts to sack him for his open hard Brexit revolt.

The Prime Minister has already appeared to bow to the pressure by sending out a “no more compromises” message to the EU, ahead of the resumption of the negotiations today.

With Britain refusing to give ground on the so-called divorce bill – and EU leaders digging in on guaranteeing EU citizens’ rights – they are not expected to end the stalemate.

Many EU figures fear the chances of Britain crashing out of the EU with no deal are growing, with Ms May too weak to make the further concessions they are insisting upon.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Jenkin said demands for a higher exit payment were not “acceptable”, warning Britain was “being dragged into a longer and longer period of uncertainty” with no apparent reward.

He did not call for Mr Hammond to be sacked, but said: “The Prime Minister should use the authority of her office to impose what she wants on the Cabinet.”

Asked if Ms May had that authority, Mr Jenkin replied: “Oh yes, have no doubt about that.

“Just look at all the support she has had from members of parliament over the last few days, despite her difficulties.”

Keir Starmer, Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary, warned that the bitter Tory in-fighting now threatened a total breakdown of the negotiations.

“The single biggest threat to Britain crashing out of the EU with no deal is now Tory infighting,” Sir Keir said. “This has got to stop.”

The prime minister will update MPs on the situation this afternoon, making clear to EU leaders that - after the concessions in her Florence speech - “the ball is in their court.