Theresa May has been warned the Tories will be "toast" if they fail to deliver on their Brexit promises, as eurosceptic MPs maintain the pressure on the prime minister ahead of a crunch meeting of her top team.

As the PM prepares to gather ministers at her country retreat of Chequers on Friday, she has been put on notice by the European Research Group (ERG) of Conservative backbenchers.

Around 40 members of the ERG met with chief whip Julian Smith on Wednesday, reports Sky's senior political correspondent Beth Rigby.

Our correspondent said that they told Mr Smith the party will be "toast" if it "welches" on its previous Brexit promises, adding that the roughly £40bn "divorce bill" should only be paid to Brussels on condition of getting a deal.

NEW: #ERG meet with chief whip. About 40 MPs attended. Warned Smith party “toast” if welches on Brexit deal & £40bn divorce bill only paid on condition of getting deal — Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) July 4, 2018

Chief whip read out #brexit manifesto promises - no EEA/no ECJ/no Freedom of Movement - and said proposal would be “to the letter” #ERG — Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) July 4, 2018

James Gray told Smith Tuesday’s #ERG meeting was the “angriest” he’d been to and warned there would be “certain disaster” if the Chequers meet doesn’t address concerns of Brexiteers — Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) July 4, 2018

After the meeting, Jacob Rees-Mogg, who chairs the ERG, told Sky News that Mr Smith "doesn't determine policies" and so backbench Brexiteers remain in the dark over the government's plans beyond media reports.


Asked about suggestions the PM could propose a UK-EU deal that keeps regulatory alignment with Brussels for goods, as well as keeping the same level of tariffs as the EU, Mr Rees-Mogg warned such an agreement is "not Brexit".

He insisted continued regulatory alignment would mean the UK "cannot do trade deals with the rest of the world" and would mean "we haven't really left the EU".

"Indeed, worse than that, we're a vassal state because we take the EU's rules and have no say over them," the Leave supporter added.

Quoting William Shakespeare's Henry V, Mr Rees-Mogg urged ministers to "stiffen your sinews, summon up the blood and imitate the actions of a tiger" ahead of their Chequers gathering.

He also repeated his demand for the government to stick to Conservative manifesto promises on leaving the EU's customs union and single market.

Image: Andrea Jenkyns resigned as a ministerial aide so she could speak more freely about Brexit

A fellow Tory Brexiteer had earlier warned Mrs May it would be "catastrophic" to backslide on Brexit and that "as history shows, prime ministers keep their jobs if they keep their promises".

Andrea Jenkyns, who resigned as a ministerial aide so she could speak more freely about the issue, said such a course would be a disaster for her party.

"If we don't deliver Brexit, if we're half in and half out, it's going to be catastrophic for the Conservative Party," she told the ConservativeHome website.

"They're not going to trust the party. In our manifesto, all of us, Brexiteers and Remainers, we stood on that manifesto that we would deliver Brexit."

Mrs May insisted she has a "strong" cabinet ahead of the Chequers showdown.

Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mrs May said the government is "working to deliver is a Brexit that ensures that we are out of the customs union, we are out of the single market, we are out of the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, we are out of the Common Agricultural Policy, we are out of the Common Fisheries Policy, we bring an end to free movement, we take control of our borders, we have an independent trade policy and that we are also able to have a good trade arrangement with the EU, protecting jobs and prosperity of the future".

Image: Jacob Rees-Mogg warned against remaining aligned to Brussels rules

Mrs May's pledges to leave the EU's single market and customs union - two key tenets of the European project - form the centrepiece of her approach to Brexit.

But MPs who voted to sever ties with Brussels fear the PM could be about to compromise on her red lines in a bid to bring the disparate factions of her cabinet into line behind a common position.

They worry such compromises - often referred to as a "soft Brexit" - will leave Britain closely aligned to EU rules and restrict the UK's freedom to strike free trade deals in the future.

In essence, Brexiteers fear Britain won't "take back control" and will end up with a "Brexit in name only".

However, Remain-supporting MPs argue a pragmatic course is required to avoid disruption for businesses and problems at ports and the border between Northern Ireland the Republic - an EU member.

There is speculation the PM could be about to lay out plans for such a "soft Brexit".

In a Twitter message on Monday night, Ms Jenkyns put Brexiteer cabinet ministers on notice, urging them to "show your steel" at Friday's meeting.

"We know some of you want to be the future party leader," she pointedly added.