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For his final question, Jeremy Corbyn quotes the chair of the manufacturers' association, saying ministers have put "political ideology" ahead of the "national interest".

Unions and business groups, want a no-deal exit from the EU "ruled out".

He asks when the PM will put the interest of the British people ahead of the interests of the Conservative Party.

Theresa May replies that in the modern Labour Party, Derek Hatton - who recently rejoined the Labour party - is a "hero", whilst wartime leader Winston Churchill is a "villain".

"Attlee and Bevan will be spinning in their graves," she adds.

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Jeremy Corbyn says the prime minister "doesn't seem very interested" in listening to companies saying that the UK needs to be in a customs union with the EU.

He says people are suffering from in-work poverty "under her watch, under her government". He says that Brexit uncertainty is costing jobs and investment.

Mrs May says that car manufacturers voiced their support for the deal which she had brokered with the EU and points to the recent employment figures.

Read more: UK employment total hits record high

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Jeremy Corbyn says Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin was right to warn recently that the PM would "head for the exit door without a deal" if her agreement does not succeed.

He quotes recent job losses in the car sector, and asks whether they "matter" to her.

The prime minister says the decision by Honda earlier this week to close its plant in Swindon is "disappointing", but the company has been "absolutely clear" it is not due to Brexit.

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Mr Corbyn says that different ministers are saying different things about leaving the EU without a deal.

"People's jobs and livelihoods are in the prime minister's hands," he states, and he asks for no-deal to be "absolutely ruled out".

"People's jobs and futures are in the hands of every member of this House," Mrs May replies.

She says that Mr Corbyn clearly wants to remain in the European Union.

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Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn says the EU will find the PM's approach "quite confusing".

He says three different groups are working on three different plans regarding the Irish border backstop: to remove it, to time-limit it and to add a unilateral exit clause.

Theresa May replies that there are "a number of ways" to address MPs' concerns about the backstop plan.

The important thing, she says, is to find "solutions" that will deliver for Northern Ireland and the House of Commons.

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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says anti-Semitism has "no place whatsoever in any of our political parties, in our life, in our society".

He says that an EU official has said the UK government is "only pretending to negotiate".

He asks what the PM is proposing today when she travels to Brussels.

Theresa May says that the Brexit secretary and Attorney General had "constructive" meetings in the EU earlier this week.

She says she is seeking "legally binding changes" which have been requested by MPs.

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Theresa May is facing questions from backbench MPs and Jeremy Corbyn in the Commons now.

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Communities Secretary James Brokenshire says he is "saddened" to see three MPs go, but insists the Conservative Party remains a "broad church".

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Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston are all sitting with the Independent Group in the House of Commons.

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BBC Politics Live
BBC2's lunchtime political programme

Conservative MP Philip Lee - who thought about joining the Tory breakaway but decided against it - has given an insight into their motivations.

He said they had asked for an audience with Theresa May to discuss their Brexit concerns - but had been told "no you can go and see someone else".

They then turned on the TV, he said, to see Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker, from the pro-Brexit European Research Group, walking through the doors of No 10.

This is not how you run a "broad church", Mr Lee tells host Nick Robinson.

Mark D'Arcy
Parliamentary Correspondent

This was supposed to be a low key week.

A bit of Brexit sparring, a bit of general snarkery, a partly empty Commons chamber, with plenty of MPs off enjoying the ski slopes, etc…..

Not so much now.

The announcement of three Conservative MPs resigning the party whip means the PM begins her question time on the back foot. Will she hit out? Will she find herself in direct confrontation from one of the three?

The sight of three ex-Conservatives on the other side of the chamber, even if they are three fairly predictable names, is hardly a happy one for a PM with a precarious Commons position.

And she won’t now be in a position to taunt Jeremy Corbyn about some of his MPs quitting the Labour whip.

None of the three – Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston or Heidi Allen - are listed on the Order Paper as questioners but it’s a fair bet that they will seek to be called, and will stand quite a good chance of catching Mr Speaker’s eye. So, at a stroke, the Independent Group will have made PMQs all about them.

And they will doubtless take the opportunity to renew their pitch to like-minded MPs, to keep up the momentum (note the small “M”) of their new non-party.

As for the rest of the batting order, it is very Tory light and Leave-light, with hard Remainers like Stephen Doughty (the unofficial chief whip of the Labour Remain faction) and the Lib Dem Tom Brake (will he ask his ritual question about a second referendum?

A particularly interesting questioner is Labour’s Phil Wilson – co-author of an amendment for the next round of Brexit votes, which would accept the PM’s Brexit deal, if she agreed to put it to a new referendum. It is a fair bet that there will be questions about Honda and maybe about the government’s China policy, in the wake of the ructions over the defence secretary’s decision to send the Navy’s new aircraft carrier to the disputed South China Sea.

But all the attention is now focused on the new kid of the Westminster block. So far the Independent Group has played a very smart media game – positioning themselves at the centre of the news agenda. And this may not be their last move.

The letter confirms that the MPs will sit alongside the newly formed Independent Group of MPs, joining the seven Labour MPs who resigned on Monday, and Labour MP Joan Ryan who defected yesterday.

However, they add:

"There will be times when we will support the government, for example, on measures to strengthen our economy, security and improve our public services. But we now feel honour bound to put our constituents’ and country’s interests first."

Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen write to the prime minister to resign from the Conservative Party.

Prime Minister Theresa May has released a statement responding to the resignations.

It reads:

"I am saddened by this decision – these are people who have given dedicated service to our party over many years, and I thank them for it.

“Of course, the UK’s membership of the EU has been a source of disagreement both in our party and our country for a long time. Ending that membership after four decades was never going to be easy.

“But by delivering on our manifesto commitment and implementing the decision of the British people we are doing the right thing for our country. And in doing so, we can move forward together towards a brighter future.”

"I am determined that under my leadership the Conservative Party will always offer the decent, moderate and patriotic politics that the people of this country deserve.”

The letter tells Theresa May that “we voted for you as leader because we believed you were committed to a moderate, open-hearted Conservative Party”.

“Sadly, the Conservative Party has increasingly abandoned these principles and values with a shift to the right of British politics”

“We no longer feel we can remain in the party of a government whose policies and priorities are firmly in the grip of the ERG and DUP”

They warn the PM that “Brexit has redefined the Conservative Party – undoing all the efforts to modernise it".

"There has been a dismal failure to stand up to the hardline ERG which operates openly as a party within a party, publicly and privately funded, with its own leader, whips and policy”, they add.

"We find it unconscionable that a party, once trusted on the economy, more than any other, is now recklessly marching the country to the cliff edge of no deal.”