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| Brexit: Tory MP Oliver Letwin rejects Corbyn as caretaker PM | Brexit: Tory MP Oliver Letwin rejects Corbyn as caretaker PM |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Senior Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin has said he does not support Jeremy Corbyn becoming a caretaker prime minister in a bid to avoid a no-deal Brexit. | Senior Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin has said he does not support Jeremy Corbyn becoming a caretaker prime minister in a bid to avoid a no-deal Brexit. |
| But he backed discussions across the Commons to prevent the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal. | But he backed discussions across the Commons to prevent the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal. |
| Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged that the UK will leave the EU by 31 October "do or die". | Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged that the UK will leave the EU by 31 October "do or die". |
| Mr Corbyn said the UK needs a government that is "prepared to negotiate" with the EU. | |
| His current plan is to win a no-confidence vote in the government, become interim prime minister and "do everything we can" to stop a no-deal Brexit. | |
| Once in the role of caretaker prime minister, Mr Corbyn say he intends to delay Brexit, call a snap election, and campaign for another referendum. | |
| Sir Oliver, who was among senior Tories who received a letter from Mr Corbyn about the plan, was asked about Mr Corbyn's proposal on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | Sir Oliver, who was among senior Tories who received a letter from Mr Corbyn about the plan, was asked about Mr Corbyn's proposal on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| "That appears to be his agenda. I have to say it is not one I personally share," he said. | "That appears to be his agenda. I have to say it is not one I personally share," he said. |
| "I don't think it's at all likely that a majority would be formed for that and I personally wouldn't want to vote for it. I wouldn't be able to support that, no." | "I don't think it's at all likely that a majority would be formed for that and I personally wouldn't want to vote for it. I wouldn't be able to support that, no." |
| Sir Oliver, a former cabinet minister, has led several attempts in Parliament to break the Brexit impasse and prevent a no-deal Brexit. | Sir Oliver, a former cabinet minister, has led several attempts in Parliament to break the Brexit impasse and prevent a no-deal Brexit. |
| But he said he was "not very inclined" to help bring down the government in a no-confidence vote and would "rule it out" if it led to Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister. | But he said he was "not very inclined" to help bring down the government in a no-confidence vote and would "rule it out" if it led to Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister. |
| His comments came amid an ongoing row among MPs who oppose no deal, with Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson initially dismissing Mr Corbyn's plan as a "nonsense". | His comments came amid an ongoing row among MPs who oppose no deal, with Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson initially dismissing Mr Corbyn's plan as a "nonsense". |
| Mr Corbyn said he assumed everyone who wanted to avoid a no-deal Brexit - including the Liberal Democrats - would vote for the motion of no confidence that Labour intends to launch against the government. | |
| "What we need is a government that is prepared to negotiate with the European Union so we don't have a crash-out on the 31st," he added. | |
| Anna Soubry, leader of the Independent Group, said she would "not support nor facilitate any government led by Jeremy Corbyn". | |
| But the head of the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon, was among those applying pressure to Ms Swinson to change her stance. | But the head of the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon, was among those applying pressure to Ms Swinson to change her stance. |
| The Liberal Democrat leader suggested Tory grandee Ken Clarke or former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman could head a temporary government instead of Mr Corbyn. | The Liberal Democrat leader suggested Tory grandee Ken Clarke or former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman could head a temporary government instead of Mr Corbyn. |
| Mr Clarke responded on Friday to say he was willing to lead a government of national unity to avoid a no-deal Brexit. | |
| Asked if Mr Clarke or Ms Harman could lead the country through a political crisis, Mr Corbyn said: "What we need is a respect for the electoral process that brought about the results from the last general election." | |
| Sir Oliver suggested the majority of MPs did not want a no-deal Brexit, although he said he was "not terribly optimistic" they would reach an agreement. | Sir Oliver suggested the majority of MPs did not want a no-deal Brexit, although he said he was "not terribly optimistic" they would reach an agreement. |
| The former minister, who has agreed to meet with Mr Corbyn to discuss plans to avoid a no deal, said opponents of the government's Brexit position needed to "talk a lot" and "talk frankly". | The former minister, who has agreed to meet with Mr Corbyn to discuss plans to avoid a no deal, said opponents of the government's Brexit position needed to "talk a lot" and "talk frankly". |
| 'Demagogue' | 'Demagogue' |
| Meanwhile, fellow senior Tory MP Dominic Grieve said there was a "a considerable head of steam growing to try to make sure that no deal doesn't occur". | Meanwhile, fellow senior Tory MP Dominic Grieve said there was a "a considerable head of steam growing to try to make sure that no deal doesn't occur". |
| He also refused to back the Labour leader to be a caretaker prime minister, telling BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme it was "absolutely vital" any interim PM commanded "high levels of trust". | He also refused to back the Labour leader to be a caretaker prime minister, telling BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme it was "absolutely vital" any interim PM commanded "high levels of trust". |
| "I simply don't think that Jeremy Corbyn, as leader of the Labour Party - and particularly with his very strong views, which he's entitled to - is the right person," he said. | "I simply don't think that Jeremy Corbyn, as leader of the Labour Party - and particularly with his very strong views, which he's entitled to - is the right person," he said. |
| Although he said he himself would be willing to be a caretaker prime minister, he said, "there are others who are rather more suitable for doing it than I am". | Although he said he himself would be willing to be a caretaker prime minister, he said, "there are others who are rather more suitable for doing it than I am". |
| Mr Grieve, a former attorney general, said there was a "growing number" of Tory MPs who were "horrified" by the direction of Mr Johnson's government. | Mr Grieve, a former attorney general, said there was a "growing number" of Tory MPs who were "horrified" by the direction of Mr Johnson's government. |
| "His views, and the way he's expressing them, are so removed from what I would describe as proper and traditional conservatism as to cause real disquiet," he said. | "His views, and the way he's expressing them, are so removed from what I would describe as proper and traditional conservatism as to cause real disquiet," he said. |
| "We have a deeply divided country and we are not going to resolve this problem by this type of tub-thumping populism. " | "We have a deeply divided country and we are not going to resolve this problem by this type of tub-thumping populism. " |
| He accused the prime minister of "behaving like a demagogue". He said Mr Johnson's language had led to members of the public sending death threats to him for his role in trying to prevent a no-deal Brexit. | He accused the prime minister of "behaving like a demagogue". He said Mr Johnson's language had led to members of the public sending death threats to him for his role in trying to prevent a no-deal Brexit. |
| Mr Johnson earlier this week accused MPs "who think they can block Brexit" of a "terrible collaboration" with the EU. | Mr Johnson earlier this week accused MPs "who think they can block Brexit" of a "terrible collaboration" with the EU. |
| "If leading politicians use language - collaborator is an obvious one - or call people a traitor, you immediately start to receive really vile emails and communications," Mr Grieve said. | "If leading politicians use language - collaborator is an obvious one - or call people a traitor, you immediately start to receive really vile emails and communications," Mr Grieve said. |
| Tory MP and Brexiteer Sir John Redwood told Today he was not worried about opposition to the government's Brexit stance. | Tory MP and Brexiteer Sir John Redwood told Today he was not worried about opposition to the government's Brexit stance. |
| "I would be surprised if this parliament developed a majority to thwart the British people because the overwhelming majority of MPs were elected on a clear promise to see us out of the European Union with a deal if there's a good deal on offer and without the deal if there wasn't a good deal on offer," he said. | "I would be surprised if this parliament developed a majority to thwart the British people because the overwhelming majority of MPs were elected on a clear promise to see us out of the European Union with a deal if there's a good deal on offer and without the deal if there wasn't a good deal on offer," he said. |