Michael Gove ‘prepared to delay Brexit until end of 2020 to block no-deal’

Environment secretary reportedly open to suspending Britain's exit from EU to prevent no-deal chaos

Conservative leadership hopeful Michael Gove is reportedly prepared to delay Brexit until the end of 2020 rather than crash out of the European Union without a deal.

The environment secretary is said to have told colleagues pursuing a no-deal exit risked triggering a general election or seeing Brexit cancelled altogether.

“Simply trying to go for no deal before the UK is properly prepared will lead to a general election with Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street and risks Brexit being cancelled altogether,” a source close to Mr Gove told The Telegraph.

The stance puts Mr Gove at odds with many of his rivals in the race to replace the outgoing Theresa May, who have claimed they are prepared to leave the EU without an agreement if necessary.

The home secretary, Sajid Javid, another Tory leadership candidate, said on Saturday he would step up planning for a no-deal Brexit if he becomes the next prime minister, but said Parliament would do everything to try and stop no deal as an outcome.

arliament would do everything to try and stop no deal as an outcome.

He said his “absolute focus” would be on getting a deal, but added he would focus on mitigating the effect of no deal on the economy if he was unable to reach an agreement with the EU.

“I would prepare for a no-deal budget, which would include a significant amount of economic stimulus,” he said.

“That would include significant tax cuts for business, for personal income, it would include stepped up infrastructure investment.”

Meanwhile, Mr Javid has also said he would consider scrapping the top rate of income tax in a bid to boost the economy.

He pointed to George Osborne’s move to cut the top rate of tax from 50p to 45p, which saw tax revenues increase.

“If it can be demonstrated that a further cut in the additional rate can raise more taxable revenues that should be looked at,” he said.

Others in the leadership race promising tax cuts to boost their appeal include Dominic Raab and Jeremy Hunt.

Mr Raab has pledged to cut income tax by a penny a year - 5p over the course of a Parliament to just 15p in the pound for the basic rate - which critics have claimed would cost £25 billion.

Mr Hunt, on the other hand, is using tax cuts to woo businesses, suggesting slashing corporation tax to Irish levels of 12.5 per cent from the 19 per cent it sits at currently.

Chancellor Philip Hammond this week expressed his concern over too many “populist” pledges by his colleagues to cut taxes.

Additional reporting by PA