Labour have continued to insist Jeremy Corbyn must be the leader of any temporary government to secure a Brexit extension, despite the Liberal Democrats’ leader, Jo Swinson, suggesting he would be unable to secure a majority.
Speaking to reporters outside parliament after cross-party talks, the Liberal Democrat leader said there would not be a vote of no confidence in the government this week as opposition parties continue to disagree about the best way forward.
Swinson reiterated her insistence that a temporary government could not be led by Corbyn, saying the Labour leader “simply does not have the numbers” among MPs to become interim prime minister.
She raised the idea of a backbench grandee such as Ken Clarke, Harriet Harman or Margaret Beckett leading a temporary government, but Labour swiftly dismissed the idea. Its officials said that as leader of the main opposition party, Corbyn was the only clear candidate. They also rejected the idea of a government of national unity, calling instead for a “strictly time-limited caretaker administration” that would be formed by Labour and supported by other opposition parties.
This would be intended to last for a matter of days, with its only business being to secure a Brexit extension, and would then be dissolved through an election.
The talks brought together Corbyn and Swinson, as well as the Westminster leaders of the Scottish National party, Plaid Cymru, the Greens and the Independent Group for Change, among other MPs from opposition parties.
Whips from the various parties are expected to meet on Tuesday to discuss a series of options to stop no deal. Swinson said this would include “the possibility of an insurance option of a government of national unity, and including who might be able to lead such a government”.
This would be seen as a last-ditch measure, to be brought in only if Boris Johnson appeared to be trying to evade a law obliging him to seek an extension to Brexit if he cannot reach a deal with the EU.
There had been speculation that opposition parties could use this week, when the Commons is sitting despite the Conservative conference in Manchester, to trigger a no-confidence vote.
However, Swinson said this would not happen: “What is clear is that it is important this week we don’t go for a precipitous vote of no-confidence motion. It’s understood that, if anything, that would just increase the risk of no deal, and therefore play into Boris Johnson’s hands.”
Speaking after the meeting, Corbyn said the wider idea of a no-confidence vote remained an option, as well as new measures forcing Johnson to seek an extension, or seizing control of the Commons schedule.
“All of those options are absolutely in play and all of those options are under consideration,” he said. “Our agreed position is to prevent a no-deal exit and ensure the prime minister obeys the [Benn Act].”
Under a backbench-instigated law passed earlier this month, Johnson is obliged to seek a Brexit delay until at least 31 January if he fails to cement a new departure deal at the European council summit on 17 and 18 October.
The opposition parties and former Tories believe there is no need to
add to the Benn act right now because it is legally watertight.
Former attorney general said on Monday that the Queen could dismiss Johnson if he sought to break the law requiring him to seek a Brexit extension.The prime minister would be “gone within five minutes” if he chose to defy parliament by ignoring the legislation, Grieve said. The i newspaper reported this week that the Queen sought legal advice on the circumstances in which she can dismiss a prime minister prior to Johnson’s defeat in the supreme court.
Swinson said the Lib Dems had raised the idea of opposition parties passing another measure to speed up the deadline, thus giving more time before the 31 October departure date but other parties had disagreed.
Sir Mark Sedwill, the head of the civil service, has declared that Brexit is “unsettling” his colleagues and has pledged to go “on the road” to listen to concerns, according to a document leaked to SkyNews.
However, Swinson said the parties would “use every opportunity to try and hold this government to account” this week and would focus on using parliamentary mechanisms to seek access to three government reports on Brexit.
Ministers published Operation Yellowhammer, an assessment of the impact of a no-deal Brexit, after a “humble address” motion in parliament. The other three reports sought will be Snow Bunting, about the police response to Brexit; Kingfisher, about the impact on businesses; and Black Swan, which covers the worst-case scenario planning.