Boris Johnson is facing an ambush as the SNP and Labour look to table a confidence vote next week in a bid to secure Jeremy Corbyn as a ‘fail safe’ prime minister.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had been coy over who should stand as a caretaker prime minister – saying she was ‘open minded’ – but it is understood the SNP would now accept the Labour Party leader.
A source close to the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford said the ‘first person who must have the opportunity to do that is Jeremy’, according to the Telegraph.
It comes as a cloud of suspicion surrounds Mr Johnson over whether he will stick by the law and seek an extension to Article 50 if he cannot secure a Brexit deal by October 19.
Any SNP push for a confidence vote is expected to be tabled before January in a bid to avoid coinciding with the rape and sexual assault trial of the party’s former leader Alex Salmond, MPs have claimed.
The 35-strong SNP contingent in Westminster will vote against Mr Johnson in any confidence vote and, crucially, the party also appears ready to install the hard-Left Labour leader.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured in Glasgow on Friday) had been coy over who should stand as a caretaker prime minister – saying she was ‘open minded’ – but it is understood the SNP would now accept the Labour Party leader
A source close to the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford said the ‘first person who must have the opportunity to do that is Jeremy (pictured)’
The move could pave the way for a huge Commons showdown as early as next week – when Mr Johnson is meant to be in Manchester for the Tory conference.
The SNP is also demanding another referendum on Scottish independence just five years after the ‘once-in-a-generation’ vote in 2014.
A Downing Street source said the SNP move to back Mr Corbyn showed Labour had done a deal to hold a second Scottish independence in return for being propped up in power.
The 35-strong SNP contingent in Westminster will vote against Mr Johnson (pictured on Friday in a hospital in Harlow) in any confidence vote and, crucially, the party also appears ready to install the hard-Left Labour leader
Nicola Sturgeon (left) hinted that she could back Jeremy Corbyn (right) as a ‘unity’ PM on Friday
But a No 10 source said: ‘We have known for a long time that Jeremy Corbyn is willing to sell the Union down the river in his attempts to get into Downing Street without an election.
‘The public don’t want to see these backroom deals – they want to see Parliament held to account at an election.’
Miss Sturgeon called for the Opposition to unite around a single candidate to take control as caretaker prime minister – which could possibly be the Labour leader.
But the party’s backing led to renewed fears that the SNP propping up a Labour government would dramatically increase the threat of a second Scottish independence referendum.
Miss Sturgeon yesterday confirmed on Twitter she would be prepared to back a move that could make Mr Corbyn a caretaker prime minister.
In response to a journalist suggesting the only ‘fail-safe’ way of ensuring an extension to the Brexit deadline is ‘to pass a vote of no confidence [VONC] and install Corbyn or someone else as PM’, the Scottish First Minister replied: ‘Agree with this. VONC, opposition unites around someone for sole purpose of securing an extension, and then immediate general election.
‘Nothing is risk free but leaving Johnson in post to force through No Deal – or even a bad deal – seems like a terrible idea to me.’
Quizzed on whether that meant Mr Corbyn, she added: ‘The point I’m making is not really about who it should be – I’m open minded on that – more that the opposition needs to unite behind a plan and act.’
Asked if the SNP could support a Corbyn-led government, SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: ‘We will put in No 10 whoever can deliver an extension to Article 50 and an immediate election.
‘This isn’t about a government of national unity… it’s a mechanism to extend Article 50 and deliver an election.’
Labour say only Mr Corbyn, as leader of the Opposition, could become interim prime minister.
But the Lib Dems are refusing to support him, and want a more ‘independent’ figure such as ex-Tory chancellor Ken Clarke or former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman.
If Mr Johnson lost a confidence vote, he would stay in No 10 for two weeks to allow MPs to try to find a replacement who can win a majority vote in the Commons.
If Opposition parties rallied around Mr Corbyn he would be installed as prime minister, and an election would be called at the end of the period if they failed.
Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson tweeted: ‘Let’s take a guess at what the SNP’s price would be for installing Corbyn in number 10. And we know from John McDonnell that Labour would happily hand them [a second independence referendum] on a plate.’
Scottish Tory MP Kirstene Hair, added: ‘SNP MPs will happily prop up Jeremy Corbyn in No 10. There is no doubt that [his] weak stance on an independence referendum is a deciding factor.’
Mr Johnson challenged critics to table a vote of no confidence and face him in an election during stormy Commons clashes earlier this week.
However, up until now opposition parties have refused to take up the offer – saying they want to wait until the Halloween Brexit deadline has been pushed back.
There have been fears a no confidence vote could put Mr Johnson in control of the Brexit timetable, as he would be able to dictate the date for a general election if another PM who can secure a Commons majority does not emerge within a fortnight.
Even with support from the SNP’s 35 MPs, Mr Corbyn would still be well short of the mark of 320 he needs to guarantee a majority in the Commons.
There are currently 247 Labour MPs, and not all of them want to see him as PM.
Despite Ms Swinson’s promise not to support Mr Corbyn with her 18 MPs, some pro-EU MPs have told MailOnline they are worried the Lib Dems are getting ‘itchy feet’ and are eyeing their potential gains from a quicker election.
Labour paved the way for an alliance with the SNP earlier this month when shadow chancellor John McDonnell made clear the party would not block a fresh independence vote.
A Downing Street source said: ‘We have known for a long time that Jeremy Corbyn is willing to sell the Union down the river in his attempts to get in to Downing Street without an election.
‘The public don’t want to see these backroom deals – they want to see parliament held to account at an election.’