If Theresa May's Brexit deal is rejected by parliament next Tuesday, as is widely expected in Westminster after 115 Conservative MPs indicated they could not support the withdrawal agreement, the question turns to what happens next.



The default position following the decision to trigger Article 50 is that the UK will leave the European Union on March 29, so if an alternative plan cannot be agreed then Britain would be on course for a no-deal Brexit.

A group of Conservative members of parliament are attempting to prevent that from happening. By BuzzFeed News' count, there are currently 43 Tory MPs who have publicly indicated they would try to stop a no-deal Brexit.

Our list includes Tory MPs who signed a letter organised by former cabinet minister Caroline Spelman calling on the government to rule out no deal, MPs who voted for Dominic Grieve's amendment in December seeking to oppose no deal, and the 20 backbenchers who voted for Yvette Cooper's amendment this week to limit the government's financial powers if it tries to go for no deal.

It also includes cabinet ministers like business secretary Greg Clark, who has said no deal "should not be contemplated", and Amber Rudd, who told colleagues: "History will take a dim view of a cabinet that presses ahead with no deal," as well as Tory MPs who have called for a second referendum.



This is a rolling list that we will be updating if and when more Tory MPs come out against no deal. MPs on the list tell BuzzFeed News it includes a core group of names committed to blocking a no-deal Brexit even if it means voting against the whip, and a larger group of sympathetic MPs who would join them if no deal becomes a real prospect.

While the numbers suggest they may have a majority in parliament, it remains unclear as to whether there is a mechanism by which these MPs could prevent a no-deal Brexit.

Virendra Sharma, an MP from the pro-Remain Best For Britain campaign, said: "That so many MPs will not countenance no deal should be a wake up call for the government. The charade of fake traffic jams, buying fridges and dredging ports is a smokescreen to hide the fact the government is facing a humiliating defeat next week. It is time no deal was taken off the table once and for all, otherwise Parliament will take back control.”