A “friendless” Theresa May has provoked yet more hostility in Conservative ranks over her consideration of the UK Government staging a Commons vote on alternatives to her twice-rejected Brexit plan, which could pre-empt a move by MPs.

Brexiteer Tories reacted with fury at the suggestion, broached by her de facto deputy David Lidington to opposition MPs during private meetings in the Cabinet Office.

Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the European Research Group, declared: “National humiliation is imminent through these indicative votes. The wrong Conservatives have the levers of power.”

Liz Truss, the Treasury Chief Secretary, made clear she would oppose any such move as the Prime Minister met a range of senior ministers, including Philip Hammond, Liam Fox, Michael Gove and Stephen Barclay, to talk tactics following the European Council. Chief Brexiteer Boris Johnson was also spotted outside Downing Street.

On Thursday, the EU took control of the Brexit timetable offering the UK an exit date of May 22 should Mrs May’s plan be approved next week by MPs or April 12 should it not.

The PM will spend the weekend at her country retreat at Chequers talking to colleagues as the endgame appears close not only for her own withdrawal plan but also her premiership.

One Cabinet minister said: “If she loses the vote next week, I can’t see how she could carry on.” Such a defeat could lead to her resignation and, if not, a confidence vote tabled by Labour.

Last week, Labour’s Hilary Benn and Conservative MP Sir Oliver Letwin came within two votes of seizing control of the Brexit process with their amendment to hold so-called “indicative votes” on the various withdrawal options to avoid a no-deal outcome.

They intend to table a similar amendment to a “next steps” debate on Monday, which, if passed, would lead to the indicative votes taking place on Wednesday.

The options for a Brexit alternative would include: Labour’s customs union plan; a Norway-style withdrawal; a second referendum; a no-deal and scrapping Article 50 altogether.

On Friday, Labour tabled its own indicative votes amendment. Jeremy Corbyn claimed Mrs May’s insistence on “ploughing on with her botched and failed deal, while threatening MPs, is pushing the country to the brink”.

The Labour leader added: “It’s time for Parliament to take control of the Brexit process from this failed prime minister and end the chaos and confusion created by the Government’s divisions and incompetence.”

Cabinet sources told The Herald Mrs May must realise she does not have the numbers to push her Brexit plan through at the third attempt – the DUP’s Nigel Dodds indicated his party was still minded not to support it - and, instead, should “seize the initiative” to table a vote on alternative options.

Greg Clark, the Business Secretary, said facilitating indicative votes, should the PM’s plan fail again, was the “right step”. It is believed David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, is amenable to this approach.

But others are wary. Asked if he would support the move, one senior minister said: “It all depends what the options are and what effect they would have. Would they be binding or not?”

Last week, Mr Lidington told MPs if Mrs May’s plan was defeated again, the Government would “facilitate a process in the two weeks after the March European Council to allow the House to seek a majority on the way forward”.

A senior Government insider made clear “that’s all” it was proposing at this stage. But this could mean the Benn/Letwin or Labour amendments, if successful, could take the initiative out of the Government’s hands.

During an Urgent Question in the Commons, Kwarsi Kwarteng, the Brexit Minister, indicated MPs would have a free vote on any indicative votes should the PM’s deal be rejected once more.

One Machiavellian idea doing the rounds at Westminster is that Mrs May could gamble on facilitating indicative votes and use loyal Tory MPs to try to ensure none gets a majority in the Commons. Then, she could turn around with just a week to go to exit day and tell MPs the final choice was her deal – the only one negotiated with the EU – or a no-deal with Britain crashing out on April 12.

The machinations over a way forward came amid a backdrop of continuing Tory acrimony and confusion.

As one senior source noted that the PM had “no more friends” after her contentious Downing St address, Conservative backbencher Steve Double called on her to consider her position.

“It is quite clear she is not leading her party. She is isolated, sadly, from a majority of the parliamentary party...We need to find a way forward and that requires new leadership,” said the Cornish MP.

Senior Tory Michael Fabricant added: "At this difficult time, we need a Churchill, not a Chamberlain."