Sarah Wollaston, Anna Soubry and Heidi Allen have become the first Conservative MPs to join the Independent Group

Theresa May made no attempt to persuade three Tory MPs to stay in the party, it emerged today, as the defectors accused the prime minister of failing to stand up to hardline Brexiteers.

Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston became the first Tories to join the eight Labour MPs who have formed the breakaway Independent Group.

In a press conference after PMQs the trio, dubbed by Ms Allen as the “three amigos”, said that they had no contact from either Downing Street or government whips even as rumours swirled that they were on the brink of quitting.

The breakaway MPs, and a few colleagues, found time to have some fun in parliament REUTERS

Ms Soubry, who attended cabinet as a business minister under David Cameron, said she would not stay in the Conservative Party to “skirmish on the margins