BREXITEER Nigel Evans has explained that he finally voted for Theresa May’s withdrawal deal in a bid to make sure leaving the EU actually happens.

The Ribble Valley MP was one several Eurosceptic Tory MPs who reluctantly changed their minds and backed her proposal on Tuesday as it suffered a heavy Commons defeat.

He said: “I voted for the Prime Minister’s deal because I fear being trapped in the EU more than I fear being stuck with the Irish backstop.”

He joined government ministers and East Lancashire Conservative MPs Jake Berry (Rossendale and Darwen) and Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) in supporting the government proposal.

All three yesterday voted against a move to take a ‘no deal Brexit’ off the table. Mr Evans and Mr Stephenson said tonight they will vote against any delaying the UKs March 29 withdrawal date from European Union.

Blackburn MP Kate Hollern and her Labour colleagues Julie Cooper (Burnley) and Graham Jones (Hyndburn) all voted against Mrs May withdrawal agreement on Tuesday night.

Mr Evans said: “I will vote against both taking ‘no deal’ off the table and delaying the withdrawal date so we do actually leave the EU on March 29.Anything else would be a betrayal.”

Mrs Hollern and Mrs Cooper voted last night to take ‘no deal’ off the table.

Mrs Hollern said: “It’s pretty astonishing to see Nigel now supporting the Prime Minister given how vociferously opposed he was to her deal when he voted against it in January. “

Mr Stephenson said: “ MPs deciding to take no deal off the table and seek an extension to Article 50 would be the worst possible outcome."