Philip Hammond branded a ‘traitor’ for sparking a Cabinet war after he told business chiefs the ‘threat’ of a No Deal could be stopped

THE CHANCELLOR was branded a traitor yesterday as he sparked a Cabinet war by telling biz chiefs the “threat” of a No Deal could be stopped.

Furious Ministers turned on Philip Hammond after the remarks triggered fresh claims he is leading a push for a super-soft Brexit.

In a call with 330 business leaders, the Chancellor said the chances of a No Deal Brexit could be “taken off the table” in days – and there was a possibility Brexit could be delayed altogether.

And he suggested ministers may even back the plan.

Tory veteran Christopher Chope used a Commons debate yesterday to label him “treacherous”.

And in a thinly veiled swipe, Commons Leader and Brexit backer Andrea Leadsom said it would be “totally incompetent” to stop No Deal preparations given the deadlock with Brussels.

She stormed: “It is not possible to remove no deal from the table and still abide by the will of the people, as expressed in the referendum.”

It came in another day of turmoil in Westminster.

• Downing Street last night admitted for the first time that it has looked into holding a second EU referendum.
• Theresa May humiliated Jeremy Corbyn over his previous calls for terrorist talks by asking why he was spurning the chance for “dialogue” on Brexit.
• An exclusive poll revealed nearly two-thirds of Sun readers would back Brexit in a second referendum – and almost half want No Deal.
• Theresa May faces a mass walkout of up to 20 Ministers if she orders them to stop Parliament taking control over Brexit.
• German business chiefs have warned Angela Merkel they will be left “staring into the abyss” if there’s a No Deal Brexit.
• Theresa May was accused of reading “from a script” as she met leaders and Tories in a bid to break the Brexit deadlock.
• Boris Johnson prepared a thinly veiled leadership pitch by calling for a cap on income tax and huge investment in schools, hospitals and police.

Treasury sources insisted the Chancellor was stating the “blindingly obvious” given a backbench bill championed by Tory MP Nick Boles could be used by Parliament to stop a No Deal.

The bill – likely to be tabled on Monday – will if accepted set a deadline for Downing Street to come up with a Brexit plan or hand control to MPs.

It demands an extension to Article 50 to allow negotiations to continue beyond the scheduled date of Brexit on March 29.

But one Cabinet Minister branded Mr Hammond a “rogue element” given the call with business leaders came just two hours after Theresa May’s crushing Brexit defeat on Tuesday.

“We can’t have rogue elements trying to bounce the rest of the Government into a policy they have not agreed,” they said.

On this week’s conference call, Amazon UK chief Doug Gurr urged the Chancellor for “comfort” that no deal would be ruled out.

It is not possible to remove no deal from the table and still abide by the will of the people, as expressed in the referendum.

Andrea Leadsom

In a transcript revealed by the Daily Telegraph, Philip Hammond said the Nick ‘Boles amendment’ was a “backbench initiative but backed by some very senior parliamentarians”.

Tesco chairman John Allan then pressed the Chancellor to “undertake” the Government wouldn’t stand in the amendments way.

Mr Hammond replied: “My judgement is that there is a significant majority in the House of Commons against no deal.

“What this group of backbenchers has been doing is seeking to find a mechanism by which the House of Commons can express that view in a way which is binding and effective.”

He indicated the Government was also open to talks over joining the EU’s customs union - saying the Government could no go into discussions with other parties “waiving flags with red lines on them”.

Theresa May has repeatedly stared down demands to rule out a No Deal – insisting the only way of preventing it is to vote for her deal.

Eurosceptics said the latest row threatened to cement Philip Hammond’s place as “Brexit enemy number one”.

Brexit-backing Ministers have repeatedly blamed the Chancellor for the woeful state of Britain’s No Deal preparations.

They claim he has taken far too long to release the billions needed to get border posts and IT systems up to scratch.

Last year, the PM was forced to rebuke the Chancellor in public after he triggered a furious Cabinet row by making a dramatic public call for a soft Brexit.

At the time, the Chancellor used a speech in Davos, Switzerland, to say there would only be “very modest” changes to relations with the EU after Brexit.

• GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk