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The Government has quietly dropped plans to ban high-powered rifles after Tory Brexiteers and DUP MPs joined forces in defiance of Theresa May.

Police say it would be impossible to defend against a terrorist with one of the .50 calibre or higher guns which can immobilise a vehicle or truck from a mile away.

And the Government had the backing of the Labour Party to pass the ban through Parliament.

But 69 MPs signed an amendment to reverse the ban, including members of Jacob Rees-Mogg’s European Research Group (ERG) of hard Brexit backbenchers.

(Image: Jon Mills/REX/Shutterstock)

The group said the ban was disproportionate, and laid out plans for a high-security process for people to obtain high-energy weapons.

Yet they were also seeking the chance to prove they had the numbers in Parliament to block government legislation in the run up to the ‘meaningful vote’ on Theresa May’s Brexit deal.

(Image: PA)

Former Brexit minister Steve Baker, Sir Bill Cash and Sir Bernard Jenkin were among those supporting the amendment to the offensive weapons bill that would prevent a ban on rifles that have a power of “over 13,600 joules at the muzzle.”

It was also opposed by DUP MPs and Labour MP Kate Hoey.

Last week, the DUP effectively suspended their deal to prop up Theresa May’s minority in the Commons with votes.

And tonight Home Secretary Sajid Javid quietly backed down, tabling an amendment that strips the ban from the bill ahead of a vote on Wednesday, the Guardian revealed.

Louise Haigh MP, Labour’s Shadow Policing and Crime Minister, said: “It is staggering that the Government are so weak they can’t even pass laws to ban enormously powerful anti-truck and anti-tank rifles.

“Senior officers have warned the police have no known protection against these destructive weapons and yet Ministers have still caved into their restive backbenchers.

“Labour will back our police on Wednesday and do everything we can to keep the ban in the Bill.”