The Conservatives are holding secret talks with Labour in a bid to avoid defeat in a critical vote on Brexit laws next week, The Telegraph can disclose.

Tory whips are understood to have been in discussions with their Labour counterparts about the timetable for debating the EU withdrawal bill - also known as the Great Repeal Bill - next month.

Pro-European Tory MPs have warned that they are preparing to rebel over the timetable for debating legislation, known as the programme motion, in a vote on Monday.