Theresa May is struggling to maintain authority after two of her cabinet ministers publicly speculated about the government's next steps should the Brexit deal fall in the Commons.

It came as Downing Street was forced to dismiss comments from cabinet ministers Andrea Leadsom and Amber Rudd after their remarks on a fresh referendum and a "managed no-deal" scenario.

Asked if a second referendum was plausible if Parliament remains gridlocked, the prime minister's official spokesman said: "No."

On Thursday, it also emerged that Tory and Labour MPs joined forces to stop Ms May crashing the UK out of the EU without a deal, starting with a showdown vote early in the New Year.

The move is intended to be the first of many planned ambushes to put parliament in control.

The group of MPs includes fellow Tories Oliver Letwin and Nick Boles, as well as Labour big-hitters Yvette Cooper, Hilary Benn, Rachel Reeves and Harriet Harman.

They have tabled an amendment to the finance bill, to be debated on 8 January, that would prevent any new taxes earmarked for no-deal preparations without the consent of the Commons.