Boris Johnson has called an emergency meeting of his political cabinet on Thursday afternoon, amid speculation he will make a fresh attempt next week to force a general election.
The prime minister has said he will once again ask parliament to agree to a snap poll should
Brexit be delayed until January.
It comes as EU leaders consider whether to grant a further delay against Johnson’s stated wishes.
The PM was forced by MPs to ask EU leaders to extend Article 50 even though he has promised to take the
UK out of the bloc by October 31.
However there are reports of divisions among ministers and senior No.10 advisers over whether to press for a December election.
Johnson’s cabinet will meet - without civil servants - at 3pm in Downing Street this afternoon.
Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s chief adviser, is reportedly leading calls to abandon attempts to get the Brexit deal through parliament and go for an election.
But Northern
Ireland Secretary Julian Smith is said to be among ministers arguing it is still possible to pass a bill ratifying the agreement, despite Tuesday’s defeat for Johnson’s attempt to fast-track it through the Commons.
Tory chairman James Cleverly insisted Brexit could still happen on October 31, telling
BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The EU has not agreed an extension and therefore it is absolutely essential that we make sure that we are ready to leave.”
There are fears among Conservatives that if there is an
election before the UK has left the EU, it will play into the hands of Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party.
Even if Johnson does decide to press for an early election there is no guarantee that he will succeed.
Under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act he would need a “super majority” of two-thirds of all MPs to call an election which would require
Labour support.
Jeremy Corbyn has said Labour is ready to go to the country once it is sure Johnson cannot “crash out” in a no-deal Brexit in the middle of a campaign.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell, however, said Labour is prepared for an election before
Christmas “if necessary”.
“We’re hoping, step by step, hoping we can get some agreement with the government … If we can’t we’re up for an election for whenever it comes, and we’re confident…” he told ITV’s Peston programme.
But that stance appears to be at odds with the fact there is widespread opposition to an election among the party’s MPs at a time when they are trailing in the polls.
Any decision is likely to wait until Friday when EU leaders are expected to make their decision on whether, and for how long, there should be another Brexit delay.
It is widely thought they will agree a so-called “flextension” to the end of January, with the option for the UK to leave before then if there is agreement in parliament on a deal.
If leaders cannot come to an agreement it could mean there will have to be an EU emergency summit, probably on Monday, just three days before the UK is currently due to leave.
It follows reports that French President
Emmanuel Macron is keen to press for a short extension of 15 days.
A shorter extension would be a boost to Johnson who has told outgoing European Council president Donald Tusk that he does not want any further delay.Related... Why Labour And The Tories Both Want Brexit Done Before Christmas