BRITAIN will "not be dictated to” by Brussels in the negotiations over its withdrawal from the EU, Dominic Raab has warned.

The Brexit Secretary continued the UK Government’s defiance in the face of what it believes is Brussels intransigence and said it would keep negotiating on the basis of Theresa May's controversial Chequers Plan despite the rebuff to it from EU leaders at last week's Salzburg summit.

Appearing on BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show, Mr Raab said he remained confident both sides could make progress towards a final deal, provided the EU side was prepared to show greater flexibility.

He dismissed claims Mrs May could call a snap general election in an attempt to save her premiership following the Salzburg debacle, declaring: “It's for the birds. It's not going to happen.”

The Secretary of State played down the Salzburg row as no more than a "bump in the road" in the negotiations.

"We will hold our nerve, we will keep our cool and we will keep negotiating in good faith. What we are not going to do is be dictated to," insisted Mr Raab.

"We have come up with a serious set of proposals. We are not just going to flit from plan to plan like some sort of diplomatic butterfly. We are going to be resolute about this and really press the EU to treat us with some respect."

He said that Britain had shown flexibility in its negotiating position and again called on the EU to do the same.

"If we just get this sort of 'computer says no' response from the EU we are not going to make progress," he insisted.

"We need some flex, some give and take if you like, from the EU and I am confident that, as the fall-out from Salzburg ebbs, we will make further progress."

Meanwhile, Nicky Morgan, the pro-EU former Cabinet minister warned that a leadership challenge to the Prime Minister would not be in the interests of the Conservative Party or the country.

"Having a leadership election now would not be in the country's interest. There are particularly a lot of the hard Brexiteers who want to bring the Prime Minister down," she told Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday.

"This is not a move that would help the country in order to get to the best position after Brexit which does least damage to the economy. That is what we as Conservatives should be focused on.

"Europe has always been a big faultline in our party. But the majority of the parliamentary party and the membership want us to focus on getting a good deal that supports the economy and then moving on."

In a message to her party, Mrs May told warring Tories the time had come for the party to "hold our nerve" and unite in the national interest as the Brexit negotiations enter their final stages.

Following the rebuff of her Chequers plan by EU leaders in Salzburg last week, the PM warned opposition parties were plotting to exploit the situation to derail Brexit altogether.

With some opponents of Brexit actively working with Brussels to undermine the Government's negotiating position, she said Conservatives needed to come together in a spirit of national unity and "do what is right for Britain".

With time running out, Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, said the "moment of truth" would come at next month's EU summit in Brussels, when it should become clear whether the two sides can reach an agreement.

In a statement, Mrs May said: "Now is the time for cool heads. And it is a time to hold our nerve.

"I have said many times that these negotiations would be tough, and they were always bound to be toughest in the final straight.

"But what's also clear is that many in Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP are trying to thwart Brexit at every step and seeking to exploit this moment for political gain.

"Some are now openly advocating a second referendum and extending article 50 to delay Brexit, sending us right back to square one. Others are talking directly to the EU to actively undermine the UK's negotiating position.

"But I say, this is the moment to put our country first. This is the moment to set aside our differences and come together in national unity. This is the moment to do what is right for Britain."

Elsewhere, Downing Street denied that it was planning for a snap general election in an attempt to save Mrs May's premiership following the Salzburg debacle.

Reports suggested two senior members of her political team had responded to events in Austria by "wargaming" a possible autumn vote to win public support for her Chequers plan.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "It is categorically untrue that No 10 is planning a snap election."

Yesterday, Jeremy Hunt urged EU leaders to "step back from the abyss" of a no-deal Brexit and to engage with Mrs May's Chequers plan.

The Foreign Secretary said the PM was in earnest when she warned she would walk away from the negotiations rather than accept a "bad deal".

"What Theresa May is saying is 'Don't mistake British politeness for weakness. If you put us in a difficult corner we will stand our ground. That is the kind of country we are,'" he said.

However, Mr Hunt refused to rule out the prospect the Government could now seek a simple, Canada-style free trade agreement - favoured by many Tory MPs - rather than continuing with the more ambitious Chequers proposals.

"I am not dismissing anything," he said, adding, however, that a Canada-style agreement, unlike Chequers, would not address the issue of the Irish border.