David Mundell has vowed not to leave the Conservative Party in the event of a no-deal Brexit – but has not said whether he would leave the cabinet.

The Scottish secretary and MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, who voted Remain in the EU referendum, said he was disappointed but not surprised that three fellow pro-Remain Tory MPs had quit the party and joined the new independent grouping in parliament.

But he declared: “I’m most certainly not leaving the Conservative Party.”

However Mr Mundell refused to be drawn on reports that he had threatened to resign from the cabinet if no-deal isn’t taken off the table.

Amid this week’s news of resignations and the forming of a new group of pro-Remain MPs, there were claims that several ministers – including Mr Mundell – were ready to quit the cabinet next week unless no-deal is ruled out.

But he promised only to do whatever he can to avoid no-deal – and said the best way to do so was to vote for the prime minister’s deal.

He said Theresa May’s proposals would allow the country to leave the EU “on an orderly basis”.

On Thursday morning the Scottish government published a paper which warned that a no-deal Brexit could push Scotland’s economy into recession.

The paper suggests Scottish gross domestic product (GDP) could fall by up to seven per cent and Scottish exports to the EU could fall between 10 per cent and 20 per cent.

Mr Mundell said he agreed that no-deal would be “extremely bad for Scotland”, adding: “It has the potential for chaos and disruption in our economy and I believe, actually, it is a threat to the United Kingdom.”

Earlier this week eight Labour MPs and three Conservative MPs resigned from their parties to form the new pro-EU group in parliament,. There is speculation that others could follow in the days to come.

Yesterday Ian Austin, MP for Dudley North, also left the Labour Party but has not joined the new grouping.