Brexit: Boris Johnson will push 'zombie parliament' into voting for election until they cave in, says Javid

Labour could scupper vote without ‘further legislation’ to ensure no deal off the table, says Diane Abbott

Boris Johnson's government will repeatedly push MPs to vote for an election until opposition parties cave into their demand for a Christmas poll, Sajid Javid has said.

The chancellor accused Labour of turning the Commons into a “zombie parliament” by opposing the prime minister’s election bid – despite his own threat that ministers would effectively go on strike until a poll is secured.

Opposition parties are poised to block Mr Johnson’s offer of a 12 December poll until they are convinced that a no-deal Brexit has been ruled out.

Diane Abbott suggested Labour could demand further legislation to ensure no deal is off the table, in a sign of the dearth of trust between the opposition and the government.

It comes after Mr Johnson dramatically issued a demand for a Christmas election in exchange for further parliamentary time for MPs to debate his Brexit deal.

Mr Javid, who has been forced to scrap his Budget next month, said the government had done everything it could to meet the prime minister’s “do or die” pledge to deliver Brexit by 31 October.

The senior Tory said that parliament, led by Jeremy Corbyn, has decided to “dither and delay” at every opportunity.

He told the Today programme: “The opposition have said, week after week, that if there is a delay of three months which is what they requested through parliament, then they will vote for general election.

“So let’s see if they keep their word.”

Pressed on what would happen if MPs refused, Mr Javid said: “If they don’t, then we will keep bringing back to parliament, a motion to have an election, and we will keep doing that again and again.

“As for other parliamentary business, we will have to wait and see what that is and will react to it at that time, but the most important issue is to get Brexit done.”

Mr Javid urged opposition parties to back calls for an election and “let the British people decide who should govern them”.

Despite his threat to create a parliamentary stalemate, he turned his fire on opposition leaders.

He said: “They can’t have it both ways, they can’t, on the one hand, make parliament deliberately dysfunctional, turn it into a zombie parliament so we can’t get on with the business of governing, and, on the other hand, refuse to actually then have an election and bring an end to it.”

Labour could scupper the prime minister’s efforts to secure an election, as fixed-terms parliament legislation introduced by David Cameron means the government needs to secure a two-thirds majority of MPs to call a poll.

Ms Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said the party needed an "explicit commitment” that a no-deal scenario is ruled out, which could include further legislation.

She said: “The Labour Party is definitely up for an election, but there are two things we need to know.

“One is what sort of extension the EU is going to give and as you say we won’t know until Monday.”

“But be in no doubt, party members, and the party as a whole, is ready for and keen for an election,” she added.

However deep divisions remain in Labour ranks over whether to back the poll, with many MPs concerned about going into an election while trailing behind the Tories in the polls.

All eyes are turning to Brussels, as EU leaders were due to meet on Friday to discuss the terms of a potential extension to the UK’s departure from the bloc.