A BOURNEMOUTH MP has threatened to resign if the UK leaves the EU without a deal - and said he expects "many" more to follow suit.

Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood, who represents Bournemouth East, told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour: "I would not stay in office, I would stand in front of that no-deal juggernaut.

"It would be an irresponsible act of self-harm and from security reasons alone it would be damaging our international reputation as well.

"No deal for me is simply not plausible."

Mr Ellwood's threat comes ahead of a speech today by Prime Minister Theresa May, who is expected to warn that Parliament is more likely to block Britain's exit from the European Union than allow it to crash out without a deal.

Mrs May will use the speech, given on the eve of the critical Commons vote on her exit plan, to urge MPs to consider the "consequences" of their actions on the faith of British people in democracy.

She is expected to reiterate her warning that "catastrophic harm" will be inflicted to trust in politicians if they fail to implement the result of the referendum.

With less than 36 hours to go until the long-awaited vote, Mrs May will say, based on last week's Westminster drama, that she now believes MPs blocking Brexit is a more likely outcome than leaving without a deal.