Labour MP John Mann has said it is “likely” he will rebel and vote for Theresa May’s Brexit deal.
The MP for Bassetlaw told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge he won’t be the only one from Jeremy Corbyn’s party to vote with the Tories when the prime minister’s deal goes before parliament on Tuesday.
“A day’s a long time in politics so things can change but as things stand it is likely I will vote for the deal, yes,” he said.
But Mann, who voted to leave the EU in the referendum on 2016, said he did not believe there would be enough rebels to push through the PM’s deal.
He added: “If I do I don’t expect to be the only one. I would be surprised if it was anything like enough to get this through but things can change.
“You need to remember I voted leave in the referendum but more importantly I voted to trigger Article 50, I voted for the referendum in the first place - every single Lab MP expect the honourable exception of Mike Gapes did so - and the Labour manifesto this time said we’re going to see through the will of the people and the referendum decision to leave the EU.”
It comes as Jeremy Corbyn comes under renewed pressure to table a vote of no-confidence in the government should May lose the vote.
The Labour leader has also been sent thousands of letters from Labour members calling for him to back a re-run of the referendum - a so-called people’s vote - when, as seems likely, MPs reject May’s Brexit.
But the Labour Party ranks seem as split as the Tories’.
Former minister Jim Fitzpatrick told the Commons on Friday that he was “not far away” from backing May’s deal, saying the “danger of no deal is still there” and the PM’s plan was “the only real alternative on the table”.
Fitzpatrick, whose London constituency strongly backed remain, said “time is running out” and a so-called “people’s vote” on the deal was “code for reversing original decision”.
Other long-term Labour Brexiteers, such as Kate Hoey and ex-Labour now independent MP Frank Field could vote through the deal.
Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay, meanwhile, has claimed there is “some movement” from MPs to support the Brexit deal.
Speaking on the BBC Andrew Marr Show, Barclay said the country has a right to know what MPs are for, adding: “It’s important the House comes to a view as to what it can back.
“There are lots of different plans being put forward by members of parliament that don’t respect the result or risk no deal.”
Pressed again on what happens if the deal is defeated, Barclay said he suspects the Commons would support something “along the lines of this deal”.
Asked about reports of a plot to take control of parliamentary business away from the Government, Barclay said: “What recent events have shown, with events over the last week with what happened on the legal advice where the Government was forced to act in a way it didn’t want to, is the uncertainty in terms of what will happen in the House has increased.
“So those on the Brexiteer side seeking ideological purity with a deal are risking Brexit, because there is a growing risk that events could unfold in ways that (mean) they are leaving the door ajar to ways that increase the risk to Brexit.”