Boris Johnson news – live: PM to call October general election if rebel MPs vote to block no-deal

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Boris Johnson says there are 'no circumstances' that can delay Brexit beyond October 31st

Government officials revealed Boris Johnson plans to call a 14 October general election if he loses a crunch no-deal Brexit vote in the Commons on Tuesday.

The sources said the prime minister was confident that the election motion would receive the two-thirds majority required to trigger an early poll under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act.

Ministers will table the motion by the end of Tuesday, but it will be moved to a vote on Wednesday only if MPs vote tomorrow to take control of Commons business in order to pass a bill to block a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.

In an unexpected statement outside Number 10 on Monday, Mr Johnson insisted there were “no circumstances” in which he would delay Brexit beyond the current deadline.

The prime minister warned that MPs would “chop the legs out” from the UK position if they backed a Brexit extension as he addressed the nation this evening.

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Key Points

• Johnson threatens rebel Tory MPs with deselection
• David Gauke says PM 'goading' opposition into early election
• Blair warns Corbyn an election now would be 'elephant trap'...
• List of 22 Tory MPs ready to defy Johnson revealed
• Philip Hammond sends PM letter demanding answers to Brexit questions
• Lord Speaker warns PM not to pack Lords with new peers
• Boris Johnson says he will not delay Brexit in speech outside Number 10
• Nicola Sturgeon says it is 'plainly obvious' PM 'has no plan to get a deal'
• PM will threaten to call October general election if he loses Brexit vote

[2 September 2019 19:20 · Chiara.Giordano]

Prime minister Boris Johnson has said there are “no circumstances” in which he will delay Brexit beyond 31 October, as rebel MPs prepare to table a bill designed to stop him taking the UK out of the EU without a deal.

Speaking against the backdrop of loud chants from anti-Brexit protesters outside the gates to Downing Street, Mr Johnson said that defeat in the Commons on the timetable would “chop the legs” from under UK negotiators seeking to secure a deal in Brussels.

Here’s more from our political editor Andrew Woodcock:

Brexit: Boris Johnson claims he will ignore MPs if they vote to block no-deal exit

[2 September 2019 19:21 · Chiara.Giordano]

Boris Johnson will reportedly threaten MPs with a 14 October general election if he loses a Brexit vote in the House of Commons tomorrow.

Downing Street is planning to publish the text of a draft motion tomorrow to trigger an early election on 14 October, according to senior government officials.

[2 September 2019 20:41 · Chiara.Giordano]

Brexit still hasn't happened yet and Boris Johnson has already stopped pretending anything good will come of it, says our political sketch writer Tom Peck.

More here:

Boris Johnson is a man with nothing to offer and no idea what to do. And so his words outside No 10 were entirely meaningless

[2 September 2019 21:08 · Chiara.Giordano]

A source close the group of rebel Conservative MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit has tonight said Boris Johnson seems to be “doing everything he can to bring about an election, while claiming it’s the last thing he wants”.

They added: “It’s a bit rich for the prime minister to point the finger at colleagues who plan to defy the party whip - colleagues who voted for a deal three times - while he voted with Jeremy Corbyn to inflict the two biggest parliamentary defeats on a government in British history.”

[2 September 2019 21:40 · Chiara.Giordano]

Commenting on Boris Johnson’s speech at a Labour rally in Salford today, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “What Boris Johnson was doing was essentially threatening people, threatening people with a no-deal Brexit if he doesn’t get his way in parliament.

“I know people voted both ways in the referendum obviously, I know people have different views about these things obviously, but I simply say this: people didn’t vote to lose their jobs, didn’t vote to see our environmental standards, workers’ rights, consumer protections ripped up.

“They voted because they were angry about many things and they voted as they did to try and protect themselves as best they could.

“Our purpose is to challenge this government on a no-deal Brexit, our purpose is to try to protect jobs and living standards, try to ensure that this country doesn’t run headlong into the arms of Donald Trump and a trade deal with the United States.”

PA