UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold an election in the days following Brexit if lawmakers attempt to sink his government with a vote of no-confidence, the Financial Times has reported, citing unidentified senior aides to the premier.
Aides are said to expect he'll face a confidence vote soon after parliament returns from its summer recess - a senior Downing Street official told the paper "if there must be a general election, then it will be days after" Britain leaves on 31st October with or without a deal.
On 7th August Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said other political parties will have the choice of supporting a Labour government to prevent a no-deal Brexit, and claimed there would be a "majority" of MPs in support.
Allies of Mr Johnson have likened the battle to see Brexit delivered to Vote Leave’s aggressive style during the June 2016 referendum, and coincidentally several individuals from that campaign now serve Johnson. One government official said Europhile MPs such as Dominic Grieve had already torn up parliamentary rules and now shouldn't be surprised if the government does the same.
Under the terms of the Fixed-terms Parliament Act, MPs have 14 days to try to form an alternative government, after which Johnson would have significant influence on the timing of a poll. After 1st November, the UK will have left the EU under the terms of Article 50.
However, businesswoman Gina Miller, who won a court case on Brexit, insisted Johnson had to go if he loses a no confidence vote, as "a refusal would be unlawful".
