Fox accuses MPs of trying to ‘steal’ Brexit from the people

Leading Cabinet Brexiteer Liam Fox has lashed out at moves by MPs to rewrite the Commons rule book in an attempt to "hijack" Britain's withdrawal from the EU.

The International Trade Secretary angrily accused backbenchers of trying to "steal" Brexit from the British people who voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum.

At least two cross-party groups of MPs are planning to table amendments to enable backbenchers to take control of the business of the House to delay or frustrate Theresa May's Brexit plans.

One group led by Tory former minister Nick Boles and the senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper is attempting to block a no-deal Brexit – something Mrs May strongly opposes.

A second, led by the former attorney general Dominic Grieve, is said to want to go further and suspend the Article 50 withdrawal process.

Dr Fox warned that the political consequence,s if Parliament was to go back on the referendum result, would be "astronomical".

"You've got a Leave population and a Remain Parliament," he told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show.

"Parliament has not got the right to hijack the Brexit process because Parliament said to the people of this country 'We make a contract with you, you will make the decision and we will honour it'.

"What we are now getting is some of those who always absolutely opposed the result of the referendum trying to hijack Brexit and in fact steal the result from the people."