ANGRY Tory Brexiteers are being urged by senior colleagues against launching a direct challenge to Theresa May’s leadership as the Prime Minister will tell them today that her Chequers plan is the “right Brexit for Britain”.

After some Conservative Brexiteers accused their leader of “complete capitulation” to Brussels, David Mundell called on colleagues to unite behind Mrs May, telling The Herald: “Rather than focusing on ourselves, we need to concentrate on getting the best possible deal from the 27 EU states for Scotland and the UK.

“The way to do that is for everyone - Brexiteers and Remainers - to rally round the PM’s plan, which delivers a pragmatic Brexit, and was signed off by the whole Cabinet at Chequers,” said the Scottish Secretary.

His Cabinet colleague Michael Gove, said to have delivered a key intervention during the Chequers summit in favour of the May compromise, rejected what he called “fake outrage” and insisted what was on offer was “a proper Brexit”.

The Environment Secretary, who was a leading light in the Leave campaign, accepted Friday’s agreement was not everything the Brexiteers had wanted but stressed it was a “perfect balance” between sharing regulations with the EU on 20 per cent of the UK economy - a “common market of goods” - but being outside the bloc’s remit on 80 per cent of it ie on services.

The Scot said: “Those of us who believe we want to execute a proper Brexit, and one that is the best deal for Britain, have an opportunity now to get behind the Prime Minister in order to negotiate that deal."

He rejected a view attributed to Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, that selling the compromise plan was like “polishing a turd,” stressing from here “collective responsibility reigns”.

While some Conservative MPs, alarmed by the soft nature of Mrs May’s Brexit plan, are poised to add their signatures to letters calling for a leadership contest – 48 are needed – some Brexiteers are already resigned to any challenge failing.

One said: “There could well be enough letters sent to Sir Graham Brady[Chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee] to set in motion a confidence vote in Mrs May’s leadership. But, in any case, the PM will win hands-down.”

Another backbencher said: “Only those blinded by their own ideology will challenge the PM, which is unfortunately a few too many of my colleagues. But if they trigger the confidence vote, May will win it very easily.”

Andrew Bridgen, the Leicestershire Tory, expressed his “deep disappointment” at the Chequers plan, saying he would not back it "if the EU were paying us". But he stopped short of calling for a confidence vote in his party leader, saying: "We're not there yet."

Veteran Eurosceptic Sir Bill Cash said there was a “lot of unhappiness” about Mrs May’s compromise proposal but he stressed he wanted to see the details of it when the White Paper was published on Thursday.

"Is this going to be a proper Brexit? There will be a massive discussion about all this," stressed the Staffordshire MP.

But Andrew Bowie, the MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, explained that he was “very happy” with what he described as a “pragmatic and sensible Brexit proposal that is good for business and jobs”.

He added: "It's time for all the party, and indeed the whole country, to rally behind the PM and ensure a united front as we enter the final phase of the negotiations.”

Today, more Tory MPs will be given a private Downing St briefing on the PM’s compromise proposal before attending a meeting this evening of the 1922 Committee at Westminster when Mrs May will face a showdown with some of her Brexiteer critics.

Before that, she will deliver a Commons statement when she will defend her Chequers plan.

The PM will say: “In the two years since the referendum result we have had a spirited national debate with robust views echoing round the Cabinet table as they have on breakfast tables up and down our country.

“Over that time, I have listened to every possible idea and every possible version of Brexit. This is the right Brexit,” she will declare.

Mrs May will tell MPs it offers, among other things: a complete end to freedom of movement; an end to the jurisdiction of the European Court in the UK; a Brexit dividend to spend on domestic priorities like the NHS; frictionless trade in goods and flexibility on services; no hard Irish border; a departure from the Common Agriculture and Fisheries Policies; a parliamentary lock on all new EU rules and regulations and freedom to strike new trade deals around the world.

Mrs May will add: “This is the Brexit that is in our national interest. It is the Brexit that will deliver on the democratic decision of the British people.”

Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer said the Chequers Plan was an unworkable “fudge” that would produce a “bureaucratic nightmare” while Michael Russell for the Scottish Government insisted it did not go far enough to protect Scotland "in any real way from the damage of Brexit".