Theresa May tells ministers to do their 'duty' on Brexit as anti-EU rebels warn she could 'destroy the government'

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British Prime Minister Theresa May.

• Theresa May's government is meeting on Friday to agree a plan for Britain's future after Brexit.
• But there is still widespread disagreement, with more than half a dozen Eurosceptic ministers opposing the British prime Minister's proposals.
• May has told her cabinet to do their "duty," but there are reports that rebels are warning her actions could "destroy the government."

Prime Minister Theresa May called on her government to do its duty and agree a plan for Britain's future outside the European Union, a last-ditch appeal to ministers to put Brexit rows behind them and take a "step forward".

Just hours before hosting a meeting at her Chequers country residence on Friday that she hopes will overcome deep rifts that have hampered Britain's Brexit plans, May urged her cabinet to agree a way to push on with all-but-stalled talks with the EU.

The last-ditch appeal for unity comes amid widespread reports of a serious revolt among Euroskeptic ministers. The Daily Telegraph is reporting that Boris Johnson and allies plan to tell May that her plans could "destroy the government," while The Times adds that seven cabinet ministers reportedly oppose her proposals.

'We have a great opportunity - and a duty'

A united stance from the government cannot come soon enough for an increasingly frustrated EU and for many companies, which have stepped up their warnings of the risk to tens of thousands of jobs if Britain leaves the bloc without a deal.

But the first details of May's new plan for Britain's future customs ties - a "facilitated customs arrangement" - won mixed reviews, with one Brexit campaigner saying it could leave the country out of Europe but still run by Europe.

"The cabinet meets at Chequers ... to agree the shape of our future relationship with the European Union. In doing so, we have a great opportunity - and a duty," May said before her ministers set off for the 16th-century manor house 40 miles (60 km) northwest of London.

"Now is the time for another step forward. We want a deal that allows us to deliver the benefits of Brexit - taking control of our borders, laws and money and by signing ambitious new trade deals with countries like the U.S, Australia and New Zealand," she added in a statement.

On Thursday, May made her opening gambit to overcome the deep divisions in not only her government, but in her Conservative Party, parliament and across Britain by suggesting a new customs plan to keep trade flowing as freely as possible.

It would see Britain closely mirror EU rules, use technology to determine where goods will end up and therefore which tariffs should be applied, and hand London the freedom to set its own tariffs on incoming goods. Britain would also be able to strike trade deals with other countries, her spokeswoman said.

But Brexit campaigners fear that the plan will keep Britain in the EU's customs sphere. That, some Brexit supporters say, would be a betrayal of her pledge for a clean break with the bloc and for Britain to win the ability to strike out alone.

Her office has so far made public only a few details of the plan and it may be changed at the Chequers meeting, which is expected to run all day and possibly late into the evening.

Theresa May faces fights both at home and abroad

Leaks have suggested that Theresa May's plan might leave the UK unable to agree a comprehensive trade deal with the US - a possibility some pro-Brexit ministers view as unacceptable.

But even if she finds agreement at home, May still faces the hard task of winning the support of the EU, which poured cold water on her previous suggestions for customs arrangements and has pressed the leader to come up with "workable" proposals.

But for now, May hopes to concentrate minds at home.

She said in the statement: "This is about agreeing an approach that delivers decisively on the verdict of the British people - an approach that is in the best interests of the UK and the EU, and crucially, one that commands the support of the public and parliament."