A “significant majority” of MPs could team up next week to stop a no-deal Brexit and revoke Article 50, Philip Hammond has told business chiefs.
In words that could spark fresh anger from Brexiteers, the Chancellor told the leaders of 330 top firms on a conference call that a bid by former Tory minister Nick Boles to rule out quitting without a deal was “properly drafted” and could succeed.
And he raised the prospect of extending Article 50 – the mechanism by which Britain is due to leave the EU on 29 March – after Theresa May has finished cross-party talks on changes to her ill-fated Brexit plan.