In a furious attack, the Prime Minister tore into the Labour leader for blocking his EU departure deal while also refusing to allow a general election to finally break the parliamentary deadlock. Britain will now have to “wait and see” how long a Brexit delay the EU will impose as a result of the opposition’s intransigence, Downing Street officials said. Mr Johnson is expected to try to dramatically increase the pressure on the Labour leader to allow a general election following a Commons vote earlier this week against the Government’s timetable for approving the divorce deal agreed with the EU.

In the Commons today, he accused Mr Corbyn of dodging a snap poll because of a lack of “courage”.

A Number 10 source said: “Parliament and Jeremy Corbyn have handed control to the EU so we continue to wait to see what the EU has to say. We’ll have to wait and see Parliament’s terms. But Parliament will always choose to vote for delay.”

The source added: “This broken Parliament will always vote for a delay rather than a deal. If this Parliament is unwilling to vote for a deal, then we will have to go for a general election.

“If Parliament refuses to get this done, then the only way to sort this out is to give the British people a vote so they can make it clear to Parliament that it’s time to honour that mandate.”

Downing Street officials expected the EU to grant a Brexit delay until January 31 after the Prime Minister was forced by a law introduced by Remainer MPs to send a request for the postponement to Brussels.

Another Government source said: “We are in a purgatory scenario.”

Mr Johnson and Mr Corbyn held talks yesterday morning to try to find a way to break the impasse over the Government’s EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill.

Their meeting in the Prime Minister’s parliamentary office broke up after less than hour with no sign of any progress.

The Number 10 source said: “There was no meeting of minds. Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party’s aim is to delay, delay, delay, delay.”

Soon after, the two leaders were embroiled in an angry clash at Prime Minister’s Questions.

Mr Johnson tore into Mr Corbyn for instructing Labour MPs to vote against his deal and a timetabling motion needed for the Withdrawal Agreement to progress through Parliament.

Although a majority of MPs backed the deal, the Prime Minister put the legislation on hold after the Commons rejected the timetable.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Johnson told the Labour leader: “I think that it was a great shame that the House willed the end but not the means, but there is still time for the Leader of the Opposition to do that and to explain to the people of this country how he proposes to honour his promise—which he made repeatedly—and deliver on the will of the people and get Brexit done.”

He added: “I must say that I find it peculiar that the right hon. Gentleman now wants the Bill back, because he voted against it last night, and he whipped his entire party against it. 

“I think it remarkable that the House successfully defied his urgings and approved that deal.

“What I think we would like to hear from him now is his commitment to getting Brexit done. 

“That is what the public want to hear, and I am afraid they are worried that all he wants is a second referendum.”

Mr Johnson later took a swipe at Mr Corbyn over his refusal to back an early election.

After SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford agreed to back a snap poll, the Prime Minister told him: “Perhaps the right honourable gentleman might pass some of his courage down the line.”

Mr Johnson gestured towards Mr Corbyn while making the jibe.

Labour sources yesterday indicated that their party leader could continue to resist an election even if the EU grants a Brexit delay.

Mr Corbyn’s spokesman said: “We will support an election as soon as the risk of no-deal is taken off the table.”

The spokesman refused to deny that a no-deal Brexit could still be a potential threat even if the departure is delayed, giving the party a further excuse for refusing to back a snap poll.

A Tory MP said: “Corbyn is clearly terrified of a general election because Labour’s polling is through the floor. He is going to look increasingly ridiculous the longer he resists a poll.”

Mr Johnson is unable to trigger a snap election without Labour support because the Fixed-Term Parliament Act introduced under David Cameron’s coalition government requires the support of two-thirds of MPs for an early poll to go ahead.

Labour frontbencher Richard Burgon yesterday broke ranks by admitting he did want an election.

The shadow justice secretary said: “I’d like to see an election before Christmas. I want to get Boris Johnson and his Thatcherite mates out of Downing Street as soon as possible. 

“So as soon as the EU has agreed that extension, so that Boris Johnson cannot push us through a no-deal without a mandate to do so, then we want a general election.”

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