The Brexit Party put forward candidates for nearly every seat in the country in the case of a general election. But leader Mr Farage has now said he has no interest in being a minister in a Tory government which doesn’t support the Prime Minister’s withdrawal plan. Mr Farage told The Telegraph’s Chopper’s Brexit podcast: “The way to fight an election is not on day one to think about where you won’t stand but make sure you have got candidates to stand everywhere.

“This is what we are doing – and then we will make the tactical decisions what the right thing to do is.

“If Boris Johnson decides that the right thing to do is go for a clean Brexit, then we would stand down.

“What’s remarkable is we have 635 people out of thousands that have applied that have made it through, been through the vetting, been through the screen testing and they’re ready to fight the election.

“And yet – when I say to them, ‘You must be prepared, if it’s in the national interest, to stand down’ they applaud, and that is remarkable.

“I’m not interested (in being a minister). I know you find this difficult because you think I’m like the rest of them – I’m not. I’m only in politics because I want to change the future direction of this country. Once it’s done I’ll be very happy.”

Mr Farage added does not think Mr Johnson will win a majority in a general election.

He said: “If Boris goes with this awful, miserable European treaty even without the backstop, we will fight against him in every seat in the country and he will not win the election.

“Brexit is the defining issue of our times. Boris will not win a majority – he won’t be able to – if we fight against him. If he goes down the withdrawal route we’ll do that, but that is not what I want to do.

“I want Brexit to happen, I want Boris to go for a clean-break Brexit and we will then give whatever support we can give him. 

“We will put country before party and support Boris Johnson, and Boris Johnson with our support would be unstoppable. Not only would he win a big majority, he’d be a hero.”

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has called for both the UK and EU to “step up the tempo” as the October 31 Brexit deadline looms closer.

Downing Street said the UK’s team of Brexit negotiators will sit down with their EU counterparts twice a week during September “with the possibility of additional technical meetings, to discuss a way forward on securing a new deal”.

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This is being seen as attempt to ease the concerns of rebel Tory MPs who are opposed to a no-deal Brexit.

A judge in Scotland will rule today on a legal bid to block Mr Johnson’s plan to prorogue Parliament for over a month.

A court in Northern Ireland will also hear from lawyers representing anti-no-deal campaigners challenging the move and attempt to do the same at the High Court in London.

Those challenges were launched after the Queen approved Mr Johnson’s request for Parliament to be suspended for five weeks from September 10.

But MPs and others opposed to Mr Johnson’s Brexit strategy have said he is trying to limit their ability to stop the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

A cross-party group of around 70 MPs and peers are backing the action at Scotland’s highest civil court, which would stop the Prime Minister taking the option of suspension until a final decision has been made on the case.

Judge Lord Doherty heard arguments from a lawyer for the campaigners and a legal representative for the UK Government at a hearing at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Thursday and he is due at the same court on Friday morning to make a decision on the case.

Northern Ireland’s Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, who sat for the short hearing at Belfast High Court on Thursday, will hold a substantive hearing on Friday morning.

A third legal challenge brought by campaigner Gina Miller at the High Court in London “is being considered”, according to a judiciary spokeswoman.

Opposition leaders have issued a rare joint statement demanding Mr Johnson reverses his decision to suspend Parliament or put it to a Commons vote.

Labour, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, The Independent Group for Change and the Green Party said the PM’s actions were undemocratic, and had “the sole aim of stopping MPs from avoiding a no-deal Brexit”.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also urged his MPs to join public protests against a no-deal Brexit.

He said: “There are also public protests across the country this Saturday, there will be a rally in Parliament Square on Tuesday evening, and I encourage Labour MPs to be present and to share our message.”

It followed thousands of people protesting outside Parliament on Wednesday evening.

Leading rebel Tory David Gauke, a former justice secretary, said next week may be the only chance for MPs to stop a no-deal Brexit.

“I think Parliament does have a responsibility to act and it may well be that next week is the only opportunity for us to do so.”

The Times reported that Tory rebels have drawn up plans with Labour for Parliament to sit over the weekend of September 7 and 8 in order to try to pass laws to stop a no-deal Brexit.

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