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Former Chancellor Philip Hammond has hit out at suggestions Tory MPs who vote against a no-deal Brexit could be sacked.
Mr Hammond responded to reports which suggest Conservative rebels could be forced out should they defy the Government in a touted Commons show down next week.
The Sun reported that those who do defy the whip will be banned from sitting for the party in their seats at the next general election.
Writing on Twitter, Mr Hammond said: “If true, this would be staggeringly hypocritical: 8 members of the current cabinet have defied the party whip this year.
“I want to honour our 2017 manifesto which promised a “smooth and orderly” exit and a “deep and special partnership” with the EU.
“Not an undemocratic No Deal.”
Mr Hammond has been a prominent opponent to Boris Johnson’s stance on no-deal, calling a hard Brexit a “betrayal of the referendum”, despite the PM’s insistence it should not be ruled out despite also stating he wants a deal.
His latest comments come as Boris Johnson faced a continued backlash on his plans to prorogue Parliament.
The Queen agreed to the suspension from no earlier than September 9 and no later than September 12 to October 14.
Earlier today, Mr Hammond’s successor as chancellor Sajid Javid backed the PM’s move.
Parliament shut down protests across the UK – In Pictures
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York – Protesters take part in a demonstration against Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament
PA
2/24
Bristol – Protesters brace the rain.
PA
3/24
York: A protester wears a blue hat in support of the EU.
PA
4/24
2,000 turned up in Bristol.
PA
5/24
Manchester – Paul Mason speaks Stop The Coup Protest in Cathedral Gardens
Getty Images
6/24
Manchester – Demonstrators let off flares
Getty Images
7/24
Manchester – Demonstrators gather in heavy rain
Getty Images
8/24
Manchester – Labour’s Julie Ward speaks Stop The Coup Protest in Cathedral Gardens
Getty Images
9/24
Glasgow – Protesters in George Square
REUTERS
10/24
Glasgow – Protesters held up red banners.
REUTERS
11/24
Getty Images
12/24
Belfast – Brigitte Anton, who is originally from Frankfurt but has lived in Belfast for 31 years, at a protest outside Belfast City Hall.
PA
13/24
Newcastle – The city’s streets were packed.
PA
14/24
Oxford – Protesters rally outside the PM’s old university college – Balliol College.
PA
15/24
Glasgow – Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn attends a campaign day at the Alive and Kicking Project building.
Getty Images
16/24
London – Diane Abbott, Labour Party MP and Shadow Home Secretary attends an anti-Brexit demonstration at Whitehall
REUTERS
17/24
London – A protester holds a sign saying “Eton Mess” in a dig at Boris Johnson.
REUTERS
18/24
London – Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the gates of Downing Street
REUTERS
19/24
London – “Clowning Street” signs.
REUTERS
20/24
London – An anti-Brexit protester came prepared.
REUTERS
21/24
London – Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate at Whitehall in London
REUTERS
22/24
London – Placards wait outside Downing Street.
EPA
23/24
London – Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the gates of Downing Street
REUTERS
24/24
London – A protester holds a sign at Whitehall.
REUTERS
1/24
York – Protesters take part in a demonstration against Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament
PA
2/24
Bristol – Protesters brace the rain.
PA
3/24
York: A protester wears a blue hat in support of the EU.
PA
4/24
2,000 turned up in Bristol.
PA
5/24
Manchester – Paul Mason speaks Stop The Coup Protest in Cathedral Gardens
Getty Images
6/24
Manchester – Demonstrators let off flares
Getty Images
7/24
Manchester – Demonstrators gather in heavy rain
Getty Images
8/24
Manchester – Labour’s Julie Ward speaks Stop The Coup Protest in Cathedral Gardens
Getty Images
9/24
Glasgow – Protesters in George Square
REUTERS
10/24
Glasgow – Protesters held up red banners.
REUTERS
11/24
Getty Images
12/24
Belfast – Brigitte Anton, who is originally from Frankfurt but has lived in Belfast for 31 years, at a protest outside Belfast City Hall.
PA
13/24
Newcastle – The city’s streets were packed.
PA
14/24
Oxford – Protesters rally outside the PM’s old university college – Balliol College.
PA
15/24
Glasgow – Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn attends a campaign day at the Alive and Kicking Project building.
Getty Images
16/24
London – Diane Abbott, Labour Party MP and Shadow Home Secretary attends an anti-Brexit demonstration at Whitehall
REUTERS
17/24
London – A protester holds a sign saying “Eton Mess” in a dig at Boris Johnson.
REUTERS
18/24
London – Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the gates of Downing Street
REUTERS
19/24
London – “Clowning Street” signs.
REUTERS
20/24
London – An anti-Brexit protester came prepared.
REUTERS
21/24
London – Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate at Whitehall in London
REUTERS
22/24
London – Placards wait outside Downing Street.
EPA
23/24
London – Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the gates of Downing Street
REUTERS
24/24
London – A protester holds a sign at Whitehall.
REUTERS
Despite insisting during the Tory leadership campaign he thought proroguing Parliament was a bad idea, Mr Javid has now said the Government needs time to focus on its agenda in the run-up to outlining plans in October’s Queen’s Speech.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It is quite usual this time of year, Parliament goes into what’s called a conference recess and it doesn’t usually sit for some time in September and early October.
“It’s right because we are focusing on the people’s priorities.”
Pressed on his comments during the Tory leadership battle that prorogation could be seen as “trashing” democracy, the Chancellor said: “I wasn’t being asked about a Queen’s Speech, a Government setting an agenda, that was a question around suspending Parliament for the sake of it for months on end in order to avoid debate.”
While health secretary Matt Hancock has similarly addressed comments he made in his own leadership bid.
Mr Hancock said on Saturday that his comments during the Tory leadership campaign were in relation to a plan for a much longer suspension, saying there is a “substantive” difference between that idea and what is actually happening.
Asked to explain his apparent change of stance at the Big Tent Ideas Festival in east London on Saturday, Mr Hancock said: “During the leadership debate there was a discussion of an idea that some people brought forward that from the new prime minister taking over, up to and through the first of November, Parliament will be prorogued in order to drive through what would effectively be a no-deal Brexit.
“And I didn’t support that idea. And I spoke about it in quite passionate terms.
“There’s some people who are saying that Parliament will be suspended. Well it doesn’t feel like it to me.”
