Boris Johnson news: Labour calls Swinson 'childish' after Lib Dem leader rejects Corbyn plan to thwart no-deal Brexit by becoming PM

Conservative MP breaks ranks to support plan as Brexit crisis continues

Jeremy Corbyn calls on opposition parties to make him caretaker PM

Jeremy Corbyn has challenged opposition parties and Tory rebels to instal him as caretaker prime minister so he can call a general election and prevent a no-deal Brexit under Boris Johnson.

Jo Swinson dismissed the plan as “nonsense”, saying the Labour leader could not unite opposition MPs, before proposing either Ken Clarke or Harriet Harman as a more suitable caretaker PM.

But Labour MPs rallied around the plan, urging Ms Swinson to reconsider her position.

The Lib Dem leader was branded “childish” by shadow education secretary Angela Rayner. The SNP, meanwhile, claimed they would work with Mr Corbyn, while a group of rebel Tory MPs said they were “happy to meet” him to discuss his plan.

Ms Swinson said she wanted to meet Mr Corbyn to discuss a solution to the Brexit crisis.

Meanwhile, the caretaker government plan has infuriated Tory MPs.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "I think it's absolutely extraordinary that any Conservative MP considered even for one minute installing Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street.

"Jeremy Corbyn would wreck our economy, he would destroy jobs and the livelihoods, savings, I think he also can't be trusted with security or crime and ... I just think that any Conservative should think very, very hard about doing this. It actually presents a very clear choice.

"You either have Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister overturning the result of the referendum or Boris Johnson respecting the referendum, putting more money into the NHS, more police on the streets to keep us all safe."

Conservative MP Guto Bebb did break ranks to support Mr Corbyn's plan.

If you would like to see how the day's news unfolded, please see what was our live coverage below:

[15 August 2019 14:12 · Adam Forrest]

Rebel Tory MPs Nick Boles, Dominic Grieve, Oliver Letwin and Caroline Spelman have replied to Jeremy Corbyn’s letter and said they would be “happy to meet” to discuss his plan.

“We agree that our common priority should be to work together in parliament to stop a no-deal Brexit and welcome your invitation to discuss the different ways this might be achieved,” the MPs wrote.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said earlier it had been “good to hear” from the Conservative group.

[15 August 2019 14:24 · Adam Forrest]

Caroline Lucas has had some thoughts on Jo Swinson’s refusal to work with Jeremy Corbyn.

“Jo, please change your mind … This is a personal appeal to Jo Swinson. Jo, we need to stop Boris Johnson. Please join us in engaging with Corbyn to see if we can find a way forward.”

[15 August 2019 14:29 · Adam Forrest]

Nicola Sturgeon has also urged Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson to reconsider Jeremy Corbyn’s plan to stop a no-deal Brexit.

Scotland’s first minister joined Green MP Caroline Lucas in calling for Swinson to think again on the issue.

Sturgeon tweeted: “To be clear – the SNP remains willing to work across party lines and explore all options to stop a no deal Brexit.

“Jeremy Corbyn’s suggestion is not the only possible option – but given the circumstances, nothing should be ruled out at this stage. Jo Swinson should rethink.”

[15 August 2019 14:35 · Adam Forrest]

Ken Clarke is aware some people want him to be PM.

[15 August 2019 14:45 · Adam Forrest]

Jo Swinson says Ken Clarke and Harriet Harman have told her they would be willing to take on the role of caretaker PM. She has also expressed some scepticism about rebel Tory MPs’ willingness to work with Corbyn.

[15 August 2019 15:15 · Adam Forrest]

Interesting. The senior Tory rebel Dame Caroline Spelman has rejected Jeremy Corbyn’s proposal.

“I could not support a Corbyn Government, end of,” she told the Birmingham Mail. “I am not going to vote against my own government in a vote of no confidence.”

Corbyn announced his plan to act as a caretaker PM in a letter on Wednesday to opposition leaders and Tory MPs Dominic Grieve, Sir Oliver Letwin and Dame Caroline.

Grieve and Sir Oliver have not yet commented directly on the proposal. Neither has Nick Boles, the independent MP who quit the Conservatives over Brexit and who also received the appeal.

But a letter being circulated and apparently signed by the MPs said they were willing to meet Mr Corbyn and other opposition parties to discuss no-deal prevention options.

It has reportedly featured Dame Caroline’s name, despite her clear opposition to a Corbyn government.

[15 August 2019 15:20 · Ashley Cowburn]

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has called on Jo Swinson to rethink her decision to dismiss Jeremy Corbyn's offer to form an emergency government should Boris Johnson's administration fall next month.

[15 August 2019 15:30 · Adam Forrest]

Ministers have been accused of “clinging to their failing policies on drugs” after data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) drug deaths in England and Wales have hit a record high – with around 40 people now dying every week from illicit substances.

[15 August 2019 15:35 · Ashley Cowburn]

"A motorbike revs. A helicopter whirs. A keyboard plays a high ostinato melody. In come the bass chords, a police car pursues a biker through the gates of a medieval castle and suddenly Jo Swinson is on stage," writes political sketch writer Tom Peck

[15 August 2019 15:45 · Ashley Cowburn]

Jeremy Corbyn has posted this in response to the reaction at his offer to lead an emergency government. Considering the Liberal Democrats' leader Jo Swinson described it as "nonsense", it is not strictly true.