West Midland MPs Jack Dromey and Dame Caroline Spelman are leading the battle to prevent a "no-deal" Brexit.

It comes after Theresa May’s proposed Brexit deal was rejected by MPs for the second time.

MPs will tonight, Wednesday March 13, vote on a motion proposed by Prime Minister Theresa May which states that the House of Commons "declines to approve" leaving the EU without a deal.

But Mrs May's motion also states that leaving without a deal "remains the default in UK and EU law unless this House and the EU ratify an agreement".

It means that the option of carrying out a no-deal Brexit remains on the table, even though some employers have said this would be a disaster for their businesses.

Mr Dromey, Labour MP for Birmingham Erdington, and Dame Caroline, Conservative MP for Meriden, are to propose an amendment which removes the second part of the motion.

If it's approved by MPs, it would mean the House of Commons has ruled out a "no-deal" Brexit entirely.

Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during the Brexit debate in the House of Commons, London.

It would also mark yet another Commons defeat for Theresa May over Brexit. The vote is expected around 7pm tonight.

The two MPs both represent constituencies with car plants belonging to Jaguar Land Rover, one of the firms expected to suffer most if a no-deal Brexit disrupts trade with the EU.

Brexit, previously due to take place on March 29, is now almost certain to be delayed.

On Tuesday night, the House of Commons voted against the Government’s proposed Brexit withdrawal agreement by 391 against the deal to 242 in favour. It meant there was a majority of 149 against the deal.

And this followed a vote in January when the proposal was rejected by an even larger majority.

Mrs May immediately told MPs that she would hold a vote on Wednesday to ask whether they wanted to leave the EU with no deal at all.

The Prime Minister said it would be a "free vote" so that Conservative MPs could decide how to vote without getting orders from their leader. Other parties may choose to follow suit.

MPs are likely to reject a no-deal Brexit, following warnings it would lead to shortages of food and medicine.

If so, the Government plans to hold a debate on Thursday to decide whether to delay Brexit.

But Mrs May warned that MPs would have to decide what they actually wanted to do, rather simply calling for a delay.

She said: "Voting against leaving without a deal and for an extension does not solve the problems we face

"The EU will want to know what use we mean to make of such an extension. This House will have to answer that question.

"Does it wish to revoke Article 50?  Does it want to hold a second referendum?  Or does it want to leave with a deal but not this deal?"

Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament on March 12, 2019 in London

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn responded to the vote by calling for a general election.

However, nobody at Westminster is sure whether Mrs May can continue to set the agenda in Parliament, or even whether she can stay on as Prime Minister, following her latest humiliation by MPs.

Backbenchers could now seize the opportunity to put forward their own amendments - potentially taking control of the Brexit process.

Options include a soft Brexit backed by Labour, which includes the UK remaining in the Customs Union and could win support from some Tory MPs. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is said to have held talks with former Conservative former ministers Nick Boles and Oliver Letwin.

There is also the option of holding a second referendum. Phil Wilson, Labour MP for Sedgefield, and Hove MP Peter Kyle are expected to propose an amendment backing this idea.

And there is renewed speculation that the Prime Minister could attempt to resolve the impasse by calling a general election.

Mrs May suffered defeat despite rushing to Strasbourg on Monday afternoon for last-minute talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

She returned with a guarantee that the EU would not be able deliberately to trap the UK in the so-called backstop - a mechanism for preventing a hard border between Ireland and the UK.

Jack Dromey, MP for Erdington

The backstop involves keeping the EU in the Customs Union, forcing it to obey some EU rules, and some opponents of her deal had demanded assurances the UK would be free to end the arrangement.

But the Prime Minister suffered a huge blow when Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, issued his verdict on Tuesday morning, and told MPs “the legal risk remains unchanged” that the UK could be forced to stay in the backstop “because of intractable differences” with the EU.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he opposed the deal “because we want a Brexit that protects jobs, the economy and our industries”.

In his Commons speech on the deal he referred briefly to the prospect of holding a second Brexit referendum, but his comments are unlikely to reassure Labour activists who want to see their party campaigning actively for a so-called People’s Vote.

Mr Corbyn said: “If the deal does narrowly scrape through tonight then we believe the option to go back to the people should be retained for a confirmatory vote.”