No confidence vote in Boris Johnson's leadership 'could happen next week'
Boris Johnson could face a vote of confidence in his leadership as early as next week as opposition parties join together to prevent a no-deal Brexit.
An interim government potentially led by Labour leader Jeremy Corybn could then takeover and secure a further Brexit extension, according to a senior MP for the Scottish National Party.
Stewart Hosie said the controversial plan was the only way to guarantee the UK does not ‘crash out’ of the EU on October 31 without an arrangement.
Earlier this month, MPs forced through a law which compels Johnson to seek an extension to Brexit unless he agrees a deal by October 19 or secures Parliament’s approval to leave without an agreement.
But Mr Hosie, the former SNP deputy leader, told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that MPs fear a no-confidence vote and temporary new government is the only way to ensure a no-deal.
He said: ‘We have to do that because there is now no confidence that the Prime Minister will obey the law and seek the extension that Parliament voted for only a few weeks ago.
‘If we are serious about the extension, that is the only game in town.’
Some MPs fear under the terms of the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act, a defeated Mr Johnson could delay a general election until after October 31 by which time Britain will be out of Europe.
Mr Hosie said the no-confidence plan could work if an alternative government capable of commanding a Commons majority had been pre-agreed before the vote.
The SNP has indicated that it would accept a Corbyn-led interim government, but the Liberal Democrats and rebel Tory MPs who had the whip removed are not prepared to get behind the Labour leader.
Mr Hosie said: ‘If another name came forward that was acceptable to everybody – a Ken Clarke or Dominic Grieve type figure – then self-evidently that would be a good thing to do.
‘But it is also self-evidently the case that the second largest party should have the first chance to form that administration.
‘If Jo Swinson and the Lib Dems are actually serious about their stopping Brexit position then they need to stop playing political games, get on board with everybody else.’
‘All of the opposition parties and the Tory rebels need to be on board with a single plan.
‘Yes, we could a have vote of no-confidence, yes the Government might well be brought down, but there is then still the issue of an interim administration in order to seek the extension to Article 50.
‘If that is not in place and effectively pre-agreed, then we might end up having the general election on Boris Johnson’s terms, allowing him to run down the clock and crash out without a deal.’
Yesterday, it emerged that the Government planned to unveil ‘concrete proposals’ for a new Brexit deal next week to break the long running deadlock between the UK and EU over how to resolve the Irish backstop issue.
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