The Independent Group could prop up Theresa May’s government in return for a second Brexit referendum, according to a key member.
This could see the 11 MPs backing the Prime Minister’s deal if it was then to be put to a referendum.
It would mean the new grouping effectively replacing the Northern Irish DUP in the arrangement which keeps the Tories in power.
Gavin Shuker, one of the original seven to leave Labour and go independent, told HuffPost UK’s Commons People podcast it would be “in the national interest” to prop up the government to uphold stability.
The Luton South MP said: “I went into the Cabinet Office about a month ago when Theresa May was in full listening mode and sat down with David Lidington when I was a Labour MP and I said, look you can have my support to pass any deal you like on Brexit – it can be Norway, it can be Theresa May’s deal, it can be Canada, whatever you want you can have my vote.
“But at the end of it I want a confirmatory referendum.
“And do you know what? If you do that British politics is going to be shaken quite a bit if you get that through – I’m willing to extend confidence and supply to your government so it doesn’t fall over through the period of the referendum. If it’s a year, fine.”
He told HuffPo: “They obviously didn’t choose to go down that route.
“But if you are asking me about future hypotheticals about when the maths of parliament are so febrile, it comes down to – to use the cliche – doing the right thing by the country.”
This would entail the Prime Minister supporting an amendment tabled by Labour backbenchers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson would support her deal if it is put to the public vote in a confirmatory referendum.
He went on: “We need a general election like a hole in the head right now, we’re 900 hours to Brexit and we’re going to crash out without a deal unless something replaces that.
“I think the most sensible way forward is for the government to adopt what’s become known as the Kyle amendment because it would do exactly what I said before there.
“And in those circumstances I think the national interest would be served by seeing a period of stability to get that referendum done.”
A Labour Source, said: “Offering to prop up a Tory Government that has inflicted so much suffering on our communities is shameful.
“This grubby offer shows what the new establishment coalition really stands for – austerity, privatisation and the interests of the super-rich.”