Jeremy Corbyn made fun of the deep divisions within Theresa May’s cabinet over Brexit during PMQs on Wednesday, after the prime minister narrowly avoided a humiliating defeat in parliament.

The Labour leader attacked ministers for “briefing against each other” and sarcastically apologised for bringing up the “quite painful” subject of her Brexit negotiations.

“They’re even whispering during Prime Minister’s Question Time,” he said of the cabinet ministers sitting opposite him in the Commons.

“When the prime minister met President Donald Trump last week did she do as the Foreign Secretary suggested and ask him to take over the Brexit negotiations?” he asked to laughter from the Labour benches.

“How much more damage is the prime minister going to do to the country before she realises the important thing is to get a deal for the people of this country, not one to appease the clashing giant egos of her cabinet?”

Johnson was revealed by BuzzFeed last week to have suggested Trump would do a better job in the Brexit talks that were currently heading for a “meltdown”.

Corbyn’s comment was met with an angry glare from May – while a red-faced Johnson openly laughed at the joke.

The prime minister hit back at Corbyn and said it was Labour that was divided, not the Conservative Party.

“It’s the Labour Party in Opposition which is trying to frustrate Brexit. It is the Labour Party that is trying to stop us getting a deal for the British people,” she said.

“Division is members of the Labour Party circulating instruction manuals on how to deselect all the Labour MPs sitting behind him.”

May yesterday avoided losing a vote on her EU Withdrawal Bill after making a last minute concession to Tory rebel MPs.

Pro-EU Conservative backbenchers had threatened to defy the prime minister and vote in favour of giving parliament a “meaningful vote” on the Brexit deal.

To avoid a hugely damaging defeat, the rebels said May promised changes would be introduced to the Bill to ensure that MPs get a real say on the final deal.

There will be further votes on the legislation today, however May should escape unscathed.

Corbyn meanwhile will be on the alert for rebellion among his MPs after he ordered them not to back proposals for a Norway-style agreement with the EU.