Labour is preparing to set in motion a confidence vote on Boris Johnson's government as they begin to hold a leadership contest.
The motion will be tabled on Tuesday to hold the vote the following day, according to some party sources. It comes after Mr Johnson officially resigned as Conservative leader until a replacement has been voted in by the party.
However, the confidence vote would force Mr Johnson's colleagues to either back the government or vote against it which could result in a new general election. A new leader for the Tory party is not expected to be announced until September 5.
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Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer threatened to bring the confidence vote forward in order to prevent "this nonsense about clinging on for a few months". He added: "He’s inflicted lies, fraud and chaos in the country.
"If they don’t get rid of him then Labour will step up, in the national interest, and bring a vote of no confidence because we can’t go on with this Prime Minister clinging on for months and months to come.”
A Labour source told the Huffington Post: It will put the squeeze on backbench Tories to either vote for him, and be hypocrites, or back Labour, admitting we were right.
“Do all those Tory leadership candidates really want to be answering that question next week? They know he needs to go.”
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