diff --git a/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb b/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
index 9874cfffb..746de0a5a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@ class MergeRequestsController < ApplicationController
     render :merging_organisations
   end
 
+  def delete
+    @merge_request.discard!
+    redirect_to organisations_path(anchor: "merge-requests")
+  end
+
 private
 
   def page
diff --git a/app/models/merge_request.rb b/app/models/merge_request.rb
index 2abea9d7f..7c95e199c 100644
--- a/app/models/merge_request.rb
+++ b/app/models/merge_request.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class MergeRequest < ApplicationRecord
   scope :merged, -> { where(status: "request_merged") }
   scope :visible, lambda {
     open_collection_period_start_date = FormHandler.instance.start_date_of_earliest_open_collection_period
-    merged.where("merge_requests.merge_date >= ?", open_collection_period_start_date).or(not_merged)
+    merged.where("merge_requests.merge_date >= ?", open_collection_period_start_date).or(not_merged).where(discarded_at: nil)
   }
 
   def absorbing_organisation_name
@@ -28,4 +28,8 @@ class MergeRequest < ApplicationRecord
   def dpo_user
     absorbing_organisation.data_protection_officers.filter_by_active.first
   end
+
+  def discard!
+    update!(discarded_at: Time.zone.now)
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/views/merge_requests/delete_confirmation.html.erb b/app/views/merge_requests/delete_confirmation.html.erb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8b8103d42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/merge_requests/delete_confirmation.html.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+<% content_for :before_content do %>
+  <% content_for :title, "Are you sure you want to delete this merge request?" %>
+  <%= govuk_back_link(href: :back) %>
+<% end %>
+
+<div class="govuk-grid-row">
+  <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds-from-desktop">
+    <h1 class="govuk-heading-xl">
+      <%= content_for(:title) %>
+    </h1>
+
+    <%= govuk_warning_text(text: "You cannot undo this.") %>
+
+    <div class="govuk-button-group">
+      <%= govuk_button_to(
+        "Delete merge request",
+        delete_merge_request_path(@merge_request),
+        method: :delete,
+      ) %>
+      <%= govuk_button_link_to "Cancel", merge_request_path(@merge_request), html: { method: :get }, secondary: true %>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</div>
diff --git a/app/views/merge_requests/show.html.erb b/app/views/merge_requests/show.html.erb
index b28ee3c1e..cf85e287b 100644
--- a/app/views/merge_requests/show.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/merge_requests/show.html.erb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <% content_for :before_content do %>
   <% title = "Merge details: #{@merge_request.absorbing_organisation_name}" %>
   <% content_for :title, title %>
-  <%= govuk_back_link href: "#{organisations_path}#merge-requests" %>
+  <%= govuk_back_link href: organisations_path(anchor: "merge-requests") %>
 <% end %>
 <% unless @merge_request.signed_dsa || @merge_request.absorbing_organisation_id.blank? %>
   <div class="govuk-notification-banner" role="region" aria-labelledby="govuk-notification-banner-title" data-module="govuk-notification-banner">
@@ -27,12 +27,8 @@
 </h1>
 <% unless @merge_request.status == "request_merged" %>
 <div class="govuk-button-group">
-  <button type="submit" <%= @merge_request.status == "ready_to_merge" ? "" : "disabled aria-disabled=\"true\"" %> class="govuk-button" data-module="govuk-button">
-    Begin merge
-  </button>
-  <button type="submit" class="govuk-button govuk-button--warning" data-module="govuk-button">
-    Delete merge request
-  </button>
+  <%= govuk_button_link_to "Begin merge", nil, html: { method: :get }, disabled: @merge_request.status == "ready_to_merge" ? false : true %>
+  <%= govuk_button_link_to "Delete merge request", delete_confirmation_merge_request_path(@merge_request), warning: true%>
 </div>
 <% end %>
 
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 8920e1587..ecdb8f2c1 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -201,7 +201,8 @@ Rails.application.routes.draw do
       get "absorbing-organisation"
       get "merge-date"
       get "helpdesk-ticket"
-      get "details", to: "merge_requests#details"
+      get "delete-confirmation", to: "merge_requests#delete_confirmation"
+      delete "delete", to: "merge_requests#delete"
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb b/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb
index e3bb24b46..10901623f 100644
--- a/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb
@@ -23,4 +23,25 @@ RSpec.describe MergeRequest, type: :model do
       expect(described_class.visible).to include(not_merged)
     end
   end
+
+  describe "#discard!" do
+    let(:merge_request) { create(:merge_request) }
+
+    it "sets the discarded_at field to the current time" do
+      Timecop.freeze(Time.zone.now) do
+        merge_request.discard!
+        expect(merge_request.discarded_at).to eq(Time.zone.now)
+      end
+    end
+
+    it "does not delete the record" do
+      merge_request.discard!
+      expect(merge_request).to be_persisted
+    end
+
+    it "is not visible in the visible scope" do
+      merge_request.discard!
+      expect(described_class.visible).not_to include(merge_request)
+    end
+  end
 end