Jeremy Corbyn has been urged by Labour’s deputy leader and shadow Brexit secretary to table a vote of no confidence in the Government before Christmas, The Telegraph understands.

Sources close to Sir Keir Starmer and Tom Watson claim the pair are pushing the Labour leader to table the motion next Tuesday, warning that the Opposition has a “duty to put up a robust fight”.

A senior Labour whip is also understood to have held discussions with several backbench MPs regarding a vote on Tuesday, suggesting that Mr Corbyn could be bounced into calling one over the weekend.

Meanwhile, a source in the Government whips’ office told the Telegraph that ministers now expect a motion of no confidence to be put forward within days.

They added: “The [Labour] leader’s office wants one thing, and Starmer and co want something else."

One insider close to Mr Watson said that both he and Sir Keir had called for confidence vote to be held at the earliest opportunity when the shadow cabinet met last Tuesday.