CONSERVATIVE former attorney general Dominic Grieve drew upon Winston Churchill’s spirit as he said he was putting “country before his party” on Brexit.

The MP warned ministers they had “run out of road” as he led the rebellion via his amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill, which requires any Brexit deal to be approved by a separate act of Parliament before it can be implemented.

He said the purpose of his amendment had become “entirely lost in a confrontation” in which it was suggested he was seeking to “sabotage” the will of the people.

Mr Grieve said he was not trying to overturn the public’s will, adding there had been hurling of public abuse – including “startling” comments from party colleagues, such as Iain Duncan Smith’s claim that he was grandstanding.

He won support from a number of party colleagues, with Tory former minister Anna Soubry using Prime Minister’s Questions to praise him. Ms Soubry noted she and Theresa May were both “proud of being called bloody difficult women”.

She urged the Prime Minister to accept the amendment “in the spirit of unity for everybody here and in the country”.

Speaking of Mr Grieve, she said: “He is a respected, seasoned parliamentarian and like many on these benches has been for many decades loyal to his party.

“Nobody wants to be disloyal or to bring about more disunity.”

Mrs May replied: “We will ensure that there is a meaningful vote on this in this House, there will then of course be an opportunity for Parliament to look at the Withdrawal Agreement and Implementation Bill.

“We were very clear that we won’t commence any statutory instruments until that meaningful vote has taken place.

“But as currently drafted, what the amendment says, is that we shouldn’t put any of those arrangements, any of those statutory instruments, into place until the Withdrawal Agreement and Implementation Bill has reached the statue book.

“That could be at a very late stage in the proceedings, which could mean that we are not able to have the orderly and smooth exit from the European Union that we wish to have.”

However, in a damaging defeat to her authority, MPs later approved the amendment to the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill which guarantees Parliament a “meaningful” vote on any Brexit deal by 309 votes to 305, majority four.

There were cheers in the chamber when the result of the vote became clear.

Labour former shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna commended Mr Grieve for proposing the amendments and derided those who had criticised him, saying Tory MPs who have rebelled in the past “have no right whatsoever” to attack Mr Grieve.

Mr Umunna told the Commons that Brexit Secretary David Davis had rebelled “over 90 times”, while International Trade Secretary Liam Fox had defied his party “over 19 times”.

He added: “The International Development Secretary five times, the Leader of the House over seven times. Actually I look around the House and these benches opposite, the Member for Wokingham he has voted against party 73 times, Basildon and Billericay 64 times, Harwich and North Essex 95 times and the Member for Stone he’s voted against his government, his party more than 100 times.

“None of these people can now lecture people who are seeking to do the right thing in the national interest on this amendment.”

He added: “We have a duty as legislators to properly scrutinise things that come before us.

“We will not be forgiven by future generations, of course many of whom did not vote for us to leave the EU, unless we scrutinise what the Government is doing to ensure that we get the best deal for them.

“This is one of those moments where you have to do the right thing by the country and nothing else.”