Opposition plans to stop no-deal Brexit mired in disagreement over tactics

Wide differences over confidence vote and caretaker government ahead of crunch opposition meeting

Plans for a parliamentary ambush to stop Boris Johnson’s Brexit plans risk running into the sand, after deep tactical differences emerged among the anti-no-deal parties ahead of a crunch meeting.

Opposition parties are hoping to take advantage of the Conservatives’ absence from Westminster for their annual conference in Manchester by seizing control of events in the Commons.

But as leaders of the so-called “rebel alliance” prepared to meet on Monday to discuss tactics, there was little consensus on the way forward.

Jeremy Corbyn will come under intense pressure at the meeting in Westminster to accept that he cannot lead a government of national unity to prevent no deal.

The Labour leader’s position was emerging as a key “roadblock”, with only the Scottish National Party apparently ready to consider him as the head of a caretaker administration to if Mr Johnson resigns or is ousted by a vote of no confidence.

Meanwhile, the SNP’s own plan for a swift move to a confidence vote has gained scant support from the other parties, who fear that it would be playing into Mr Johnson’s hands by allowing him an early election before no deal has been definitively taken off the table.

There was even doubt over whether Tories would vote against a no-confidence motion. The BBC’s Andrew Marr noted after an interview with the prime minister in Manchester that he “grinned” when asked if he wanted to lose the vote.

With this nuclear option likely to be ruled out at Monday’s meeting, attention was focusing on a series of emergency motions to demand secret papers from the government, including attorney general Geoffrey Cox’s legal advice on the abortive prorogation of parliament and the full documentation on the Operation Yellowhammer no-deal contingency plans.

Mr Corbyn last week promised “parliamentary action” this week to ensure that the UK does not crash out of the EU without deal on 31 October.

But there was no clarity over what Labour is planning, and Mr Corbyn insists he will not support a general election while no-deal remains a threat.

Former minister Alistair Burt told a fringe meeting at the Conservative conference that neither he nor the bulk of anti-no-deal Tories expelled for rebelling over Brexit would accept Mr Corbyn as the head of a government of national unity, which could take over on a temporary basis to negotiate an extension to Brexit talks and call an election.

Chuka Umunna said Liberal Democrats would back a “neutral” figure who does not aspire to be PM for the long term, like Kenneth Clarke or Harriet Harman, to lead a caretaker administration.

(The Independent)

And he issued a direct challenge to Mr Corbyn: “If the leader of the opposition will not accept either of those suggestions, it would be helpful and constructive for him to propose an alternative suggestion.

“Whether this route is workable depends on his willingness to compromise for the sake of our country.”

Change UK leader Anna Soubry said that if Mr Corbyn insisted on being its head, a temporary government “is not going to happen”. She told The Independent that any such government would need an entire cabinet of elder statesmen and women with no further political ambitions and would need to last six months to give it time to arrange a second EU referendum

Liberal Democrat proposals to use the coming days to bring forward the 19 October deadline for Mr Johnson to seek a Brexit extension have gained a lukewarm reception from other opposition parties, who regard them as an unnecessary complication of the measures in this month’s Benn Act.

Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru are pushing for anti-Johnson forces to seize control of the Commons agenda this week to force through punitive measures against the PM for his unlawful suspension of parliament and his refusal to commit himself to respecting the legal requirements on extension.

The party’s Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts said: “Motions are being discussed between opposition parties and House of Commons officials that would see a salary cut, bans from Parliament and other disciplinary measures, alongside a motion to explore impeachment.”

In Manchester, arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg denounced any effort to block a Halloween withdrawal and create a unity government as a “Remoaner coup”.

But Theresa May’s former chief of staff Gavin Barwell hit out at the use of the term, tweeting: “Such a government would come to power lawfully not via a coup and it would not be wholly composed of Remainers. It would be a stop no-deal coalition.”