SOUTH Dorset MP Richard Drax has explained why he put his name to a letter sent to the Prime Minister by Tory Brexiteers setting out their demands for the next stage of EU exit talks.

In the letter, Conservative MPs warned the UK must have full control over laws after Brexit and must not become a “rule taker”.

Britain must not be stopped from negotiating and signing trade deals during any transition period, they said.

The letter to Theresa May was sent by the European Research Group (ERG), made up of Tory Eurosceptics, and was signed by 62 MPs, including former Cabinet ministers Priti Patel and Iain Duncan Smith.

Labour said the letter exposed the “deep divisions” in the Conservative Party.

And former Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said the letter was sent by “militants” who were “hijacking the Conservative Party”.

But Mr Drax insisted the letter was actually a message of support to Mrs May, which urged her to “keep going, because we’re behind you”.

“There’s nothing in the letter she hasn’t said already, it’s a letter of support to say that we are here,” Mr Drax said.

The letter includes a number of “suggestions” for securing a successful Brexit, including “taking control” of World Trade Organisation tariff schedules that regulate trading. The Government should publish a mandate showing how the UK wants to approach trade with the rest of the world.

“The UK must be free to start its own trade negotiations immediately,” the letter adds.

“The UK should negotiate as an equal partner. Ministers may not want or be able to accept the EU’s timing and mandates as fixed, and should be able to set out alternative terms including, for example, building an agreement based on our World Trade Organisation membership instead.

“Any ‘implementation period’ should be based on WTO principles. Any implementation period must not restrain the UK from negotiating or signing other trade agreements.”

The Prime Minister will hold a crunch meeting with senior Cabinet ministers today to thrash out an agreement on how to proceed in negotiations with the European Union.

Mr Drax said: “We want to be in control of our own destiny and I’m baffled by anyone who can’t understand why we as the UK should be in control of our own country.”