Tory Brexiteers in the influential European Research Group are set to support Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal ahead of a vote in the House of Commons.
The prime minister had expected up to 20 of the MPs in the Eurosceptic faction of the Conservative Party to vote against the agreement with the EU, after giving Theresa May a hard time for a similar deal.
But the ERG is expected to now give its formal approval on Tuesday after a final meeting of the politicians, the Financial Times reports.
Leading voice Jacob Rees-Mogg, now in government, had previously said as a “unionist” he could not back a Brexit deal not supported by the DUP.
But those same Tory MPs are still set to press ahead with their support for the bill despite opposition from Nrothern Ireland politicians.