Conservative Brexiteers are lobbying Theresa May to pursue a no-deal exit after her deal was rejected for the third time.

Party chair Brandon Lewis confirmed reports that 170 Tory MPs, believed to include several ministers, have written to the prime minister urging her to ensure the UK leaves the EU on 12 April no matter what.

It comes after a dramatic day in Westminster when protesters took to the streets as MPs rejected Ms May’s Brexit deal for the third time, on the day originally earmarked for the UK’s exit from the bloc.

Ms May now has just two weeks to come up with viable Brexit plan, after the European Commission said a no-deal break on 12 April was now “a likely scenario”.

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Senior ministers have reportedly told Ms May to “embrace no deal”, while The Sun disclosed that a letter had been delivered to No 10 signed by more than half of Conservative MPs, demanding the UK leaves the EU in the next few months, regardless of whether there is a deal.

Asked about the move, Mr Lewis told the Today programme: “I haven’t signed the letter, but I do know about it. I haven’t seen the full text of the letter and I haven’t seen the signatures on it.

“My view is we should be doing everything we can to leave the European Union in good order, as quickly as we can, as we said in our manifesto and outlined to parliament.

“I think the deal is the right way to do that and we must do everything we can to make sure we do not fight the European elections.”

Following the defeat on Friday, Ms May warned the Commons that any extension beyond 12 April – the new deadline set by the EU – would require Britain to take part in European parliament elections in May.

Downing Street is considering bringing the prime minister’s deal back before MPs for a fourth attempt, with aides suggesting plans for a run-off between Ms May’s blueprint and a customs union.

On Monday, MPs will once again vote on a range of Brexit scenarios after a previous process indicated a future arrangement relating to a customs union could carry a majority.

But the prime minister has strongly indicated that she could not countenance asking the EU for such an arrangement and could demand an election.

Elsewhere, Ms May faced calls to form a unity government if she cannot get her Brexit deal through the Commons.

Former Tory cabinet minister Nicky Morgan said: ”If the government refused and Theresa May felt she could not implement what parliament had identified as a way of leaving the EU, then I think we would have to think very hard about whether a cross-party coalition, group of people, whatever, could do that in order to make sure that the UK does leave the EU in an orderly fashion.

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She added: “It may well be that if you end up with a cross-party approach to finding a majority in the House of Commons it might be that you need a cross-party approach to implementing it.

“There have been periods in our history when we have had national unity governments or a coalition for a very specific issue.”

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson also suggested the time had come for a national unity government, telling Prospect magazine:”If needs must, we have to then do what’s right.”