Tory Remainer Vicky Ford told BBC Radio 4 Today she was pleased with the parliamentary result on Wednesday after heated discussions with the whips over an amendment to the Brexit withdrawal bill. 

The Tory MP was asked if she was bullied by the whips as alleged in Parliament. She replied: “There is very few of us who have also sat in the European Parliament as well as the British Parliament. 

“We have a duty to think about how is this looking both sides of the Channel.”

When asked again if she found the parliamentary debate a “distressing experience” she said: “There were some very robust conversations with the whips last week but the Government is listening. 

“They made that agreement last week and we’ve got some helpful amendments on the table this week.”

BBC John Humphries insisted on an answer asking: “Were you in tears by the end of it?”

Ms Ford replied: “Let’s just say there were some robust conversations and I am very happy with the way things turned out.

“This is going to be a complicated couple of years and we need to get the best deal for the country.”

The Tory MP abstained in last week’s parliamentary vote on the amendment to the withdrawal bill.

The amendment was approved after 11 Tory MPs joined the opposition and defeated the Government. 

The amendment will give Parliament a final “meaningful vote” on the Brexit deal reached between Prime Minister Theresa May and Brussels. 

Brexit negotiations have now moved on to the second phase and trade talks are expected to begin early next year. 

Theresa May will face a very harsh panel of EU leaders after EU Chief Brexit negotiator Jean-Claude Juncker announced a trade deal will not be discussed before March 2019.