Asked how many letters of no confidence have been sent to Graham Brady, the chair of the Conservative Party's 1922 committee, Nadine Dorries said she thought the number was "around 46".

Speaking on Tuesday's Politics Live to presenter Jo Coburn, the The Tory rebel suggested the deal did not have "a cat in hell's chance of getting through Westminster".

Ms Dorries said: "I know key people who are holding their letters back and are waiting for the deal to fail before sending in their letter of no confidence."