Tory MP Oliver Letwin rules out backing Jeremy Corbyn to be caretaker Prime Minister
Sir Oliver Letwin has ruled out supporting Jeremy Corbyn to become a caretaker Prime Minister in order to avoid no-deal Brexit.
The senior Tory MP said having Corbyn in charge would do more damage than leaving the EU without a deal would.
Read more: Corbyn fails to drum up support for plan to block no-deal Brexit
He did, however, back discussions across the Commons to prevent the UK leaving the bloc with no agreement.
Corbyn had suggested he could win a no-confidence vote in the government and become an interim Prime Minister, preventing Boris Johnson’s pledge to leave the EU by 31 October with or without a deal.
The Labour leader would then delay Brexit and call a snap election, campaigning for another referendum.
Letwin, who is among the senior Tories to have been approached by Corbyn about the plan, said he could not back the opposition leader’s bid to take over for any length of time.
“That appears to be his agenda. I have to say it is not one I personally share,” Letwin told the BBC.
Read more: Lib Dem’s Swinson proposes alternatives to Corbyn for unity government
“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.”
The former cabinet minister has led several attempts to break the Brexit deadlock and prevent a no-deal Brexit, but said he was “not very inclined” to back a no-confidence and would “rule it out” if it meant Corbyn takes over.