Brexit: Ken Clarke or Harriet Harman should be caretaker prime minister to block no-deal, say Liberal Democrats

Jo Swinson says there is 'no way' Labour leader can take on role - but some rebel Tories will meet him to discuss 'emergency government'

The Liberal Democrats have proposed either Ken Clarke or Harriet Harman as a caretaker prime minister to block a no-deal Brexit, having rejected Jeremy Corbyn’s claim as “nonsense”.

Jo Swinson, the party’s new leader, said the stopgap premier must be someone who has "the confidence” of MPs across the Commons, including rebel Tories, if an “emergency government” was to succeed.

And she said the person should be identified before Labour tables a vote of no confidence to try to topple Boris Johnson – a move now expected at the start of September.

Ms Swinson set out her terms as some Conservative MPs fight a no-deal said they were “happy to meet” Mr Corbyn to discuss his overnight proposals.

In contrast, the Lib Dems were quick out of the blocks to dismiss the Labour leader’s audacious bid to lead the cross-party alliance by pledging to call a general election once a crash-out was averted.

Making her first speech as leader, Ms Swinson accused Mr Corbyn of “demanding the keys to No 10 as a precondition for a vote of no confidence”.

“There is no way he can unite rebel Conservatives and independents to stop Boris Johnson,” she said. “It is not even certain that he would secure all the votes of Labour MPs.

“What we need in a leader of an emergency government is a long-serving member of parliament who is respected on both sides of the House.

“Someone like Ken Clarke or Harriet Harman – the Father and Mother of the House. They are hugely experienced and, unlike Jeremy Corbyn, or indeed myself, they are not seeking to lead a government in the long term.”

Mr Corbyn had hoped to convince other parties and rebel Tories that he could be trusted to be the leader sent to Brussels to delay Brexit by agreeing an Article 50 extension.

He had also dangled a promise of a Final Say referendum on Brexit, if Labour wins the general election after his “strictly time-limited” caretaker government.

But Anna Soubry, the leader of the Independent Group for Change (formerly Change UK), said: “I would not support a government of national unity that is led by Jeremy Corbyn for all manner of reasons.”

In contrast, SNP, Plaid Cymru and Green MPs said they were willing to talk – as did Tories Dominic Grieve, Caroline Spelman and Oliver Letwin, plus former Conservative Nick Boles.

A joint letter said the four welcomed Mr Corbyn’s “invitation to discuss the different ways” a no-deal Brexit could be averted, but did not endorse him as a stopgap prime minister.

Asked if Mr Clarke and Ms Harman had agreed to be put in No 10, Ms Swinson said only that she had been “in contact” with them.

“I'm confident that, if that's what the House of Commons resolves, that those individuals will be happy to take on that role to try to steer our country through these difficult waters,” she said.

Ms Swinson spoke as she welcomed former Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston to the party, bringing the total number of Lib Dem MPs to 14.