THREE Tory Remainer MPs today sensationally quit in a bid to sabotage Brexit – and claim a "significant number" could join them.
Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen all walked out this morning to team up with the Labour rebels in the new Independent Group.
They claimed that more Tories could join them in the near future – with only four more needed to eliminate the PM's majority altogether.
Mrs May said she was "saddened" by the dramatic development and insisted she was "doing the right thing" by delivering on Brexit.
All three rebels are fiercely anti-Brexit – despite the referendum majority – and have been lobbying for a second EU referendum.
Asked if more Conservatives are preparing to rebel, Ms Allen said: "Are there a number of colleagues in all parties who are keen to join us? Absolutely, but everyone has to do that in our own time. There is a significant number of colleagues."
Dr Wollaston added: "There are a number of our colleagues who are deeply unhappy."
Ms Allen later named Phillip Lee and Justine Greening as two possible defectors.
This morning, the trio wrote in a letter to Mrs May: “We no longer feel we can remain in the party of a Government whose policies and priorities are so firmly in the grip of the ERG and DUP.
“Brexit has re-defined the Conservative party – undoing all the efforts to modernise it. There has been a dismal failure to stand up to the hardline ERG which operates openly as a party within a party, with its own leader, whip and policy.”
They claimed Brexit was the "final straw" and accused the PM of failing to reach out to Remainers in the wake of the 2016 referendum.
The trio concluded: "We believe there is a failure of politics in general, not just in the Conservative Party but in both main parties as they move to the fringes, leaving millions of people with no representation.
"Our politics needs urgent and radical reform and we are determined to play our part.”
Brexit has re-defined the Conservative party – undoing all the efforts to modernise it
They pledged to back the PM on "measures to strengthen our economy, security and improve our public services" but confirmed they would sit with the ex-Labour independents who walked out earlier this week.
Responding in a statement, Mrs May said: “I am saddened by this decision – these are people who have given dedicated service to our party over many years, and I thank them for it.
“Of course, the UK’s membership of the EU has been a source of disagreement both in our party and our country for a long time. Ending that membership after four decades was never going to be easy.
“But by delivering on our manifesto commitment and implementing the decision of the British people we are doing the right thing for our country. And in doing so, we can move forward together towards a brighter future.”
“I am determined that under my leadership the Conservative Party will always offer the decent, moderate and patriotic politics that the people of this country deserve.”
At a press conference this afternoon, the rebels – calling themselves "the three amigos" – accused the PM of abandoning her commitment to social justice and dragging the party to the right.
Ms Soubry said: "The right wing, hardline, anti- EU awkward squad who have brought down every Tory Prime Minister for the last 30 years are now running the Conservative party from top to toe.
"Dear friends and former colleagues who share one nation values will deny it. But in their heads and hearts they know it’s over."
Dr Wollaston added: "I am afraid the Prime Minister simply hasn't delivered on the pledge she made on the steps of Downing Street to tackle the burning injustices in our society."
Ms Allen said: "I can no longer represent a Government and a party who can't open their eyes to the suffering endured by the most vulnerable in society, suffering which we have deepened whilst having the power to fix.
"Yes we are putting our heads above the parapet and might fail. But isn’t this worth fighting for? I for one am prepared to give it everything I’ve got."
The three former Tories are the first non-Labour MPs to join the Independent Group which was launched on Monday and has been dubbed an "anti-Brexit party".
It pushes the number of MPs in the group up to 11 – the same size as the Liberal Democrats.
And Mrs May's Commons majority has been cut to just eight, combining the Tories and DUP.
If four more Conservative MPs walked out the PM would lose her majority altogether – potentially triggering a General Election.
Ms Soubry suggested that if Mrs May did face a second no-confidence vote in the Commons in coming weeks, the rebels could back her to avoid a snap election which would infuriate voters.
The Tory trio had been in talks with Labour rebels Chuka Umunna and Chris Leslie over the court of this week.
Welcoming them to the group, Mr Leslie said: "MPs putting their country and constituents ahead of the broken political parties."
SQUEEZE ON PM
Phillip Lee, another Tory Remainer, warned the PM she is "in danger of fracturing the party" by refusing to soften her Brexit deal.
He insisted more Conservative MPs would walk out if Mrs May "vacated the centre ground".
Dominic Grieve also insisted he's not planning to switch parties despite being increasingly alienated by the Tories' Brexit strategy.
Nick Boles hinted he could eventually join the rebels, tweeting: "I agree with so much of what my good friends say here but I am not ready to give up on @Conservatives yet."
What this means for Theresa May
Today's revolt is a huge blow to Theresa May as she heads to Brussels to try and get a Brexit deal sealed.
And it could make it even harder for her to get her deal through the Commons when it comes back to MPs next week.
The rebels said in their resignation letter that Brexit was the "final straw" and accused the PM of failing to reach out to Remainers in the wake of the 2016 referendum.
The PM now has a working majority of just eight, and the three quitters are all supporters of a second referendum on Brexit to overturn the result of the first.
The newly independent MPs could oppose the deal she brings back, and are likely to back an amendment from Labour's Yvette Cooper to delay Brexit if the PM doesn't have a plan in place by the middle of March.
The MPs who have left their own party don't technically need to resign their seats.
They've left their parties but are free to continue to sit in Parliament for as long as they like – or until another election comes along.
So far none of them have agreed to have a by-election, saying it's "not the time" for the chaos when Britain is in a political crisis.
It's likely that even more MPs will join the Independent Group as the clock ticks down to Brexit day.
Today Labour's Siobhain McDonagh said she wouldn't rule anything in and wouldn't rule anything out – a major hint she's considering joining them too.
MPs who have spoken out against anti-Semitism in Labour like Ian Austin and Margaret Hodge could also choose to make a move.
Remainers including Sam Gyimah, Dominic Grieve and Philip Lee have all been keen backers of a second Brexit vote and could join them.
Other Tories who want a second referendum include Justine Greening and Jo Johnson, but are less likely to leave the party they've served in Government for.
Nicky Morgan said: "Any political party should be a broad church and we should regret losing three such talented women from the Conservative party."
And Amber Rudd added: "Great shame to have lost the commitment and undeniable talent of three Conservative colleagues."
Top Brexiteer Iain Duncan Smith suggested they could return to the party in future, telling other MPs: "I believe that the door should be left open for them to return. We all want a deal and a number of us are working on a compromise to do that."
Even David Cameron weighed in with a statement, saying: "I respect their decision, but disagree with them. Our party has long been able to contain different views on Europe. Everyone must ensure that can continue to be the case."
But Government minister Nigel Adams called on the trio to resign their Commons seats and trigger by-elections.
And Tory backbencher David TC Davies added: "We know how strongly you feel about a Peoples Vote. We are looking forward to you holding one in your constituencies."
Mr Umunna, Mr Leslie and five other Labour centrists rocked Mr Corbyn when they quit en masse on Monday morning.
They are now sitting as the Independent Group in Parliament and plan to launch a fully fledged new party later this year.
Lefties claimed the move by Ms Allen, Ms Soubry and Dr Wollaston proved the Independent Group is a "Blairite-Tory coalition".
Momentum boss Laura Parker said: "This is unfair, undemocratic and dishonest."
Jeremy Corbyn's spokesman branded the project "an Establishment coalition based on the failed and rejected policies of the past".
A snap poll today suggested that one in seven voters would back the Independent Group if they stood in a General Election.
Combined with the Lib Dems, the centrists would get 21 per cent – nearly as much as Labour, on 26 per cent.
Lib Dem boss Vince Cable today suggested it would be "foolish" for his party to oppose the Independent Group in a hint they could end up forming an electoral pact.
Last night Joan Ryan became the eighth Labour MP to join the group and slammed Mr Corbyn's leadership.
She told the BBC today: "He has introduced or allowed to happen in our party this scourge of anti-Semitism.
"It has completely infected the party and at every opportunity to deal with it he has not done so.
Labour’s revenge on rebels with bid to make it illegal to switch parties
LABOUR today threatened to make it illegal for MPs to quit their party and stay in the Commons.
The party has vowed to launch a "mammoth listening exercise" in response to the resignation of seven centrist MPs this week.
But today they unveiled their formal response – taking revenge on the splitters by pledging to introduce a new law.
The measure would see a "recall petition" triggered whenever an MP leaves the party they were elected for.
If 10 per cent of local voters signed the petition, a by-election would then take place.
Shadow minister Jon Trickett said: "Communities should not have to wait for up to five years to act if they feel their MP is not properly representing their interests."
But critics pointed out that Jeremy Corbyn himself has previously said voters should support individual MPs instead of parties.
In 2010, he urged left-wing voters to back him even if they opposed the leadership of Gordon Brown.
Mr Corbyn's deputy Tom Watson said the proposed law was "spiteful", adding: "It looks like we are reflexive and just trying to be knee-jerk about it rather than looking at the actual issue, which is Brexit and the state of British politics."
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"We never had this problem in the party before he was the leader. It comes with him, it is part of his politics I am afraid."
But far-left trolls welcomed Ms Ryan's resignation because she is chair of Labour Friends of Israel.
The official Young Labour Twitter account posted a message saying: "Joan Ryan Gone – Palestine Lives".
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