Express & Star comment: Embattled Theresa May is on thin ice

The Tory crisis over Brexit has reached the level where there is even talk of Conservative whips going on bended knees to Labour MPs in a bid to gain their support over Mrs may's much criticised deal.

Such a move would surely have to be considered the end of any semblance of authority the Prime Minister had over her party.

For any leader, to have to go to the opposition for support for your own policy really is as bad as it gets.

Of course, the confusion over Brexit is not just confined to the Tories.

Jeremy Corbyn, let's not forget, suffered a rebellion of his own MPs not so long ago, with more than 80 of them defying the Labour leader's orders.

He also faces accusations of presiding over an incoherent Brexit policy, although perhaps we should not be surprised at this given that Mr Corbyn and his sidekick John McDonnell spent decades railing against the 'capitalist' EU.

Now they appear to be perfectly happy to abandon their long-held principles for the sake of political gain.

Not only did 17.4 million people vote to leave the EU in the biggest plebiscite this country has ever seen, but in the last election 80 per cent of voters supported parties who pledged to leave the bloc in their manifestos.

In the case of the Conservatives manifesto, it was one of the few things that was likely to win votes.

If either major party now backtracks on such a commitment – as seems increasingly likely – the damage to democracy in this country will be huge and long-lasting.

How would the public ever be able to respect the political process again having been betrayed so wilfully by the executive?

It is not too late for Mrs May to see sense, accept her responsibilities, and show she understands that her loyalties lie in Britain and not Brussels.

Make no mistake, her actions over the next few days will be pivotal in deciding her future in Number 10.

One thing is certain, Mrs May should be paying far more heed to British taxpayers than Angela Merkel.