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Jo Swinson: Clarke and Harman prepared to lead emergency government | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Senior Tory Ken Clarke and former deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman are both prepared to lead an emergency government to avoid a no-deal Brexit, Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has said. | Senior Tory Ken Clarke and former deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman are both prepared to lead an emergency government to avoid a no-deal Brexit, Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has said. |
Ms Swinson has rejected Jeremy Corbyn's proposal that he should be installed as a caretaker PM if he wins a vote of no confidence in the government. | Ms Swinson has rejected Jeremy Corbyn's proposal that he should be installed as a caretaker PM if he wins a vote of no confidence in the government. |
She said Mr Corbyn did not have the necessary support from opposition MPs. | She said Mr Corbyn did not have the necessary support from opposition MPs. |
However, she said she would be prepared to meet him to discuss alternatives. | However, she said she would be prepared to meet him to discuss alternatives. |
Ms Swinson put forward Mr Clarke and Ms Harman - who are the longest-continuously serving male and female MPs - as potential caretaker prime ministers, saying they were both experienced and command respect across Parliament. | |
"I have been in touch with them because obviously you don't just mention people's names without checking that they're OK with that," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "I have been in touch with them because obviously you don't just mention people's names without checking that they're OK with that," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
"They put public duty first and they don't want to see a no-deal Brexit," she added. | "They put public duty first and they don't want to see a no-deal Brexit," she added. |
"If the House of Commons asks them to lead an emergency government to get our country out of this Brexit mess and to stop us driving off that cliff to a no-deal, then yes, they are prepared to do that." | "If the House of Commons asks them to lead an emergency government to get our country out of this Brexit mess and to stop us driving off that cliff to a no-deal, then yes, they are prepared to do that." |
However, Ms Swinson said she would be open to discussing alternative suggestions with Mr Corbyn of "an experienced MP who has that respect across the House". | However, Ms Swinson said she would be open to discussing alternative suggestions with Mr Corbyn of "an experienced MP who has that respect across the House". |
On Thursday, Mr Corbyn set out his plan to prevent a no-deal Brexit, which involves calling a vote of no confidence in the government and - if that is successful - a snap election, where he would campaign for another referendum. | |
The SNP and Plaid Cymru did not rule out supporting a cross-party government to stop a no-deal exit and some Tory rebels suggested they would hold talks with Mr Corbyn. | The SNP and Plaid Cymru did not rule out supporting a cross-party government to stop a no-deal exit and some Tory rebels suggested they would hold talks with Mr Corbyn. |
But senior Tory Remainer Dame Caroline Spelman and the Independent Group for Change refused to support any Corbyn government. | But senior Tory Remainer Dame Caroline Spelman and the Independent Group for Change refused to support any Corbyn government. |
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he wants a deal with the European Union, but insists the UK must leave the bloc by the end of October "do or die". | |
Business Minister Kwasi Kwarteng said he was "a great fan" of Mr Clarke, but dismissed talk of the MP becoming prime minister as "speculation" - adding that he did not believe Labour could win a no-confidence vote. | |
Who are Ken Clarke and Harriet Harman? | |
Ken Clarke was first elected to Parliament as a Conservative MP in 1970 for the Nottinghamshire constituency of Rushcliffe. | |
He held several senior government posts under Margaret Thatcher and John Major, including health secretary, education secretary and chancellor. | |
However, his pro-European stance put him at odds with many in his party and despite three attempts in 1997, 2001 and 2005, he failed to become Conservative leader. | |
Harriet Harman was first elected to the London constituency of Peckham in 1982. | |
Under Tony Blair's government, she served as social security secretary, minister for women and solicitor general. | |
In 2007 she won the race to be deputy leader of her party, and became acting leader in 2010 when Gordon Brown resigned following Labour's general election defeat. |