WEST Dorset MP Sir Oliver Letwin was among 20 Tory rebels to signal their opposition to a no-deal Brexit.

Sir Oliver, previously a stark supporter of Prime Minister Theresa May, was one of 20 MPs to rebel, supporting an amendment tabled by Labour former minister Yvette Cooper to the Budget-enacting Finance (No. 3) Bill, according to the division list.

Sir Oliver said he was supporting the amendment because he wanted to show the Government that MPs will not allow a no-deal Brexit.

He said passing the amendment would show there is a majority against that outcome, and that there will continue to be a majority against it, saying they will "bring forward similar amendments" to frustrate other legislation in this area.

Sir Oliver said: "I want to make it abundantly clear to my honourable friends who are voting against the Prime Minister's deal, which I shall be supporting, that the majority in this House will sustain itself, and we will not allow a no-deal exit to occur on the 29th of March."

Adding that voting against the Government was "very much against my will", Sir Oliver said: "I will continue to do so right up to the end of March, in the hope that we can put pay to this disastrous proposal."

The amendment was supported by 303 votes to 296, a majority of seven, despite three Labour MPs rebelling to oppose it.