JEREMY Corbyn has called on Theresa May to "step aside" if she cannot negotiate a good Brexit deal for Britain.

During a rowdy Prime Minister’s Questions, the Labour leader claimed the Tory Government was "so busy negotiating with itself, it cannot negotiate with anybody else" as he suggested the Prime Minister was making a hash of the withdrawal talks and should make way for his party.

His call came ahead of a bid by Labour – using the arcane parliamentary device of a “Humble Address” to the Queen – to get Whitehall to publish details about Cabinet discussions on its two post-Brexit customs options.

But yesterday evening the move was defeated by 301 votes to 269, a majority of 32, after Mrs May whipped her MPs to vote against Labour’s motion. The division list showed there were no Conservative MPs who supported it.

Afterwards, Sir Patrick McLoughlin, the former Tory Chief Whip, tore into the Labour leadership, saying its bid to reveal private Cabinet papers was “contemptible”.

He explained: “Governments of all colours have agreed on the fundamental principle that government has a duty to ensure that information is shared responsibly, that it does not compromise national security, ongoing negotiations, or, indeed, the ability of Ministers and officials to develop policy.

“This cynical ploy from Labour would have undermined our EU negotiations and shows Labour are only interesting in frustrating the Brexit process.”

He added: “The Opposition frontbench should think long and hard about the manner in which they deploy this motion in the future and the implications of their actions on the national interest and good government.”

Earlier in the Commons, the PM insisted Labour could not be trusted and claimed only the Tories could deliver a Brexit that was "in the interests of British people".

Conservative MPs tried to shout down Mr Corbyn as he asked: "If the Prime Minister cannot negotiate a good deal for Britain, why doesn't she step aside and let Labour negotiate a comprehensive new customs union and living standards backed by trade unions and business in this country? Step aside and make way for those who will," he declared.

But Mrs May said Labour had broken promises on trade deals, student debt and anti-Semitism, noting: "It is only the Conservative Party that can be trusted by the British people to deliver a Brexit that is in the interests of British people, to deliver opportunity for all and a Britain that is fit for the future."

In earlier exchanges, Mr Corbyn drew laughs as he asked: "When the Prime Minister wrote at the weekend that she wanted 'as little friction as possible' was she talking about EU trade or the next Cabinet meeting?"

Mrs May said the Government had a policy of leaving the customs union and asked him to "reflect on the fact that this month the shadow health minister in the Lords voted for a second referendum, that at the weekend the Shadow Brexit Secretary refused to rule out a second referendum and on Monday the Shadow International Development Minister tweeted in favour of a second referendum.

"So perhaps,” she stressed, “when he stands up, he could put the minds of the British people and this House at rest and rule out a second referendum."

But the Labour leader claimed Cabinet divisions meant there had been “no progress in negotiations for five months" and asked how much friction Mrs May was willing to accept.

"The reality is,” added Mr Corbyn, “the Cabinet is more interested in negotiating with each other than it is with the European Union."

Elsewhere, the Labour leader’s office sought to downplay remarks by Paul Blomfield, the Shadow Brexit Minister, who suggested the Opposition had said it was "ruling nothing off the table" over whether it would back Britain, post Brexit, being part of the European Economic Area ie an associate member of the European single market.

Later, a spokesman for Mr Corbyn insisted Mr Blomfield had merely pointed out Labour would not decide its whipping arrangements on a Commons vote on EEA membership until nearer the time.

He said the current EEA package “does meet the issues we have prioritised and the Norway option is not an appropriate option for Britain; we need to see a bespoke trade deal, which gives us the benefits of the single market in terms of full tariff-free access”.