Boris Johnson tonight vowed to boot out any Conservative MPs who try to block a No Deal Brexit.

Likely rebels are being warned they will have the whip withdrawn if they join up with the Opposition this week.

This would stop them standing as Tory party candidates at a general election that could be called within days.

The rebels were due to meet the Prime Minister for 'peace talks' on Monday afternoon but he pulled out. An insider said he felt there was no point in speaking to them.

The summit, due to be held at Chequers between Mr Johnson and rebel Remain Tory MPs such as David Gauke, was abruptly cancelled due to 'diary issues', a source claimed.

Former justice secretary Mr Gauke said he would risk the threat of having the whip withdrawn by his own party by continuing to fight against No Deal.

Instead of meeting the group of Remainer MPs, Mr Johnson had offered to hold a one-on-one meeting with Philip Hammond – but in a further dramatic development, sources said the former Chancellor would refuse to meet the PM due to the 'discourteous' manner in which the PM had acted.

Mr Gauke, who was one of several ministers who resigned from the cabinet when Mr Johnson became prime minister, is among a number of ex-cabinet ministers who will back moves in parliament next week to legislate against No Deal.

Mr Johnson and party whips agreed the tough tactics over a lamb curry lunch at Chequers yesterday. Also present was the PM's chief aide, Dominic Cummings, who has vowed to use 'any means necessary' to leave the EU by October 31.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (right) cancelled a meeting with 21 Tory Brexit Remainer rebels, including former justice secretary David Gauke (left), scheduled for tomorrow

Former chancellor Philip Hammond on Wednesday. He shelved his own meeting the Boris Johnson over the 'discourteous' way the PM cancelled his crisis summit with Tory Remainers

On Tuesday a cross-party group plans to take over the Commons agenda to pass a law ruling out No Deal and ordering Mr Johnson to seek another extension.

Up to 20 Tory MPs, including former Cabinet ministers Philip Hammond, David Gauke and Rory Stewart, are threatening to support the move. This could wreck the PM's 'do or die' departure promise.

Sources in the rebel camp said Mr Johnson's decision to cancel today's talks suggested no progress had been made with Brussels.

'People were going in seeking proof of genuine attempts to get a deal,' they said.

'The fact it has been cancelled at short notice suggests there isn't a proper negotiation going on. The next point of engagement will be in the voting lobbies.'

Other sources confirmed some MPs could form an 'Independent Conservatives' grouping to fight a snap election in opposition to No Deal.

A source in the Tory whips office last night confirmed that the order had gone out that MPs who rebel would be expelled from the parliamentary party.

The insider said: 'The whips are telling Conservative MPs today a very simple message – if they fail to vote with the Government on Tuesday they will be destroying the Government's negotiating position and handing control of Parliament to Jeremy Corbyn.

'Any Conservative MP who does this will have the whip withdrawn and will not stand as a Conservative candidate in an election.

'There is a chance of a deal next month only because Brussels realises the Prime Minister is totally committed to leaving on October 31. All MPs face a simple choice on Tuesday: to vote with the Government and preserve the chance of a deal or vote with Corbyn and destroy any chance of a deal.'

Allies of Mr Johnson believe the prospect of immediate expulsion could persuade many of the rebels to back down.

However a source in the rebel camp said Mr Johnson's deselection threat smacked of 'sheer hypocrisy'.

The source added: 'This is about the national interest, and we've moved beyond the point where threats will persuade people to abandon their principles.'

David Gauke told Sky News today that he would be demanding to know how Mr Johnson proposed to get concessions from the EU, and whether there was even time left to ratify a deal if he gets one

Boris Johnson (pictured on Friday, left) has given Tory rebels an ultimatum ahead of a Commons clash over Brexit on Tuesday, warning: 'It's me or Jeremy Corbyn' (pictured yesterday in Glasgow, right)

This morning Mr Gauke said that during the planned showdown tomorrow he would have demanded to know how Mr Johnson proposed to get concessions from the EU, and whether there was even time left to ratify a deal if he gets one.

He also made clear he is ready to sacrifice his career to stop the country crashing out of the EU and warned this would 'split the Conservative Party'.

Asked about his meeting with Mr Johnson, Mr Gauke told Sky News's Sophy Ridge programme: 'I want to hear from him as to what is his plan to deliver a deal.

'When are we putting forward proposals to deal with this backstop issue? And, I want to hear how he plans to deliver the legislation if we get a deal by October 31, because at the moment, frankly, I can't see how he's got time to do that.'

Mr Gauke also dismissed the threat of having the party whip withdrawn if he back legislation blocking No Deal.

He said: 'Sometimes there is a point where...you have to judge between your own personal interests and the national interest. And the national interest has to come first.

'But, I hope it doesn't come to that, and I hope cooler and calmer heads will look at this and think that trying to split the Conservative Party in this way is not a sensible way forward for the Conservative Party, or indeed for the country.'

Although Mr Gauke said he disagreed with the planned prorogation of parliament for five weeks but stopped short of calling it a coup.

He added: 'I think the likelihood is that given the widespread sense parliament should be sitting during these crucial weeks in late September and early October, parliament would have sought to ensure that there were extra days that parliament was sitting during the conference recess period.

'And one of the reasons why I think the government has done that is to close that possibility off.'

The Remainer meeting with Mr Johnson was due to kick off a frenzied week in Parliament that could decide the fate of the UK.

Boris Johnson speaks at the closing press conference of the G7 summit last week. He has threatened to sack Tory MPs who try to block No Deal by voting with the Opposition

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn today. Boris Johnson warned his own party rebels they threatened 'Corbyn chaos' by voting to stop No Deal Brexit

On the BBC's Andrew Marr show today (pictured), Michael Gove left open the prospect of ignoring legislation as the government and Remainers gear up for a titanic battle in Parliament this week

Mr Johnson warned today that MPs had a 'fundamental choice' between his ambitious agenda, including pumping billions of pounds into public services, or the hard-left Labour leader.

The prime minister gathered his closest aides at Chequers today as he braces for all-out war with Remainers in Parliament this week.

Government whips, Mr Johnson and key officials - including maverick No10 chief Dominic Cummings - holed up for lunch at the country residence.

The tactics discussion came amid threats that Tory rebels who join cross-party efforts to stop No Deal in the coming days will be expelled from the parliamentary party.

MPs are set to try to seize control of the Commons agenda to pass a law stopping the country from crashing out of the EU, with the votes looking nailbitingly close.

CANCELLED MEETING COMES DURING FURTHER BREXIT DEVELOPMENTS - Mr Johnson and Michael Gove, who is in charge of No Deal planning, both refused to rule out calling an election; - Mr Gove also suggested the Prime Minister could ignore a law ruling out No Deal, a prospect Jeremy Corbyn described as a 'full blown attack on our constitution'; - The EU's Michel Barnier rejected Mr Johnson's demand to drop the Irish backstop and said he was 'not optimistic about avoiding No Deal'; - The Archbishop of Canterbury told Remainers to 'stop whingeing' about Brexit; - Tony Blair urged Labour to back a second referendum, saying an election was a trap; - Mr Gove launched a £100million public information campaign on No Deal called 'Get ready for Brexit'; - The British Medical Association said No Deal could see the 'disintegration' of the NHS. Advertisement

Downing Street has heaped pressure on 'deceitful and underhand' MPs plotting to thwart the PM's plans.

But Mr Gauke said the detail of the legislation Tory rebels and Opposition MPs planned to use 'will become very apparent in the next few days'.

He told Sky News: 'I don't believe that no deal has a mandate from the 2016 referendum. I don't think it has got the support of parliament. And, the problem is that if we don't act in this week, I think that it is likely that parliament will be excluded from this process.'

Michael Gove caused fresh fury today by refusing to say whether the government would obey a law ruling out No Deal.

'Let's see what the legislation says,' he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

As the rhetoric ramped up, Mr Johnson told the Sunday Times: 'I just say to everybody in the country, including everyone in parliament, the fundamental choice is this: are you going to side with Jeremy Corbyn and those who want to cancel the referendum?'

'Are you going to side with those who want to scrub the democratic verdict of the people - and plunge this country into chaos.'

The Commons returns from summer recess on Tuesday, when Remainers are set to try to seize control of the parliamentary agenda to push through legislation that would force the PM to seek a Brexit extension from Brussels beyond October 31.

Mr Johnson has solemnly vowed to take the UK out of the EU by Halloween with or without a deal.

Keir Starmer, Labour's Brexit spokesman, said the legislation this week was designed 'to prevent us leaving without a deal' and would require another extension.

Sir Keir said Mr Johnson's decision to suspend Parliament from next week meant it was 'almost certainly the last chance to block No Deal'.

Mr Johnson claimed ruling out No Deal would make it impossible for him to achieve a breakthrough at an EU summit next month.

He said MPs faced a choice between delivering on the referendum result or siding with those who want to annul it.

Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg launched a vicious attack on the plotters today and accused rebels of using underhand tactics to try to thwart Brexit and suggested they were 'too frightened' to force an election.

He told The Mail on Sunday: 'They dare not use the confidence procedures because they know that Jeremy Corbyn is too unpopular, and therefore they seek deceitful ends by underhand means.'

Reports that any bid to extend Brexit to stop a no-deal exit would be treated as a no confidence issue, with supporting Tory MPs stopped from standing for the party, drew a harsh response from Mr Hammond.

Jacob Rees-Mogg has backed Mr Johnson's position, daring Remainers to try to bring his leader down next week

The ex-chancellor tweeted: 'If true, this would be staggeringly hypocritical: 8 members of the current cabinet have defied the party whip this year.

'I want to honour our 2017 manifesto which promised a 'smooth and orderly' exit and a 'deep and special partnership' with the EU. Not an undemocratic No Deal.'

Tory former minister Alistair Burt rounded on Mr Rees-Mogg and other Cabinet members who had repeatedly voted against Theresa May's withdrawal agreement.

Mr Burt said: 'Jacob Rees-Mogg asks MPs to support the Government in its negotiations. I did. I voted for the conclusions of the negotiations brought to Parliament in the withdrawal agreement.

'Jacob, his friends and current Cabinet members did not. Why am I, having loyally supported, now being threatened and not them?'

Paul Masterton, another Tory Remainer who has suggested he could back the rebels, accused the Government of double standards.

'The problem with this line of argument is that whatever its merits, many of the people now deploying it are the ones who sided with Labour during two or all three of the withdrawal agreement votes, leading us to the situation we are in now.'

A Government spokesman said: 'All options for party management are under consideration, but first and foremost the PM hopes MPs will deliver on the referendum result and back him on Parliament.'

Some 20 Tory former ministers are considering standing at the next election as independent Conservatives rather than back a No Deal option, the Sunday Times said.

Tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated against Mr Johnson's plans to suspend Parliament for up to five weeks ahead of the return of MPs from their summer recess.

Meanwhile, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has stoked tensions by insisting the hated Irish border backstop will not be scrapped from the Withdrawal Agreement.

Mr Johnson has made ditching the measures a pre-requisite for resuming talks, saying it is unacceptable.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Barnier insisted the backstop was an insurance policy to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland, and represented the 'maximum flexibility' that Brussels can offer.