Jeremy Corbyn has said he will back Boris Johnson’s offer of an election, under the guarantee that it takes a no-deal Brexit ‘off the table’.

The Prime Minister announced today that he would be putting forward a motion for a general election to take place on December 12.

Labour leader Corbyn said: ‘Take no-deal off the table and we absolutely support a general election.

‘I’ve been calling for an election ever since the last one because this country needs one to deal with all the social injustice issues – but no-deal must be taken off the table.’

He continued: ‘Tomorrow the European Union will decide whether there’s going to be an extension or not.

‘That extension will obviously encompass whether there’s a no-deal or not. Let’s find that out tomorrow.’

Asked to define what ‘off the table’ would mean for him, Corbyn described no deal as a ‘threat’ that Boris had been using ‘all along’.

He continued: ‘Indeed it’s included in his legislation that’s before parliament at the moment; the legislation that he’s paused.

‘I want us to not crash out of the EU because of all the damage it will do to jobs across this country.’

Earlier today Boris confirmed that he would be putting forward a motion for a general election if MPs wanted extra time to look over the Brexit deal.

The motion is expected to go in front of MPs next week, Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg confirmed.

Boris said would also attempt to pass his deal by November 6 and then dissolve Parliament to start campaigning.

If the election goes ahead, it will be the third time in four years that the nation has gone to the polls.

In an open letter addressed to Corbyn, Boris accused the Labour leader of continually delaying the Brexit process.

He wrote that he was ‘extremely sceptical’ that the ‘habit’ of voting to delay Brexit would change with an extension in January.

He continued: ‘Many will doubt that this Parliament will do anything other than waste more time.’

Boris previously vowed it was ‘do or die’ for an October 31 deadline but the Benn Act made a no-deal Brexit illegal, forcing him to ask for extra time.

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