Jeremy Corbyn could take over as prime minister of a minority government on Wednesday morning if MPs reject Theresa May’s Brexit deal, Labour has told Sky News.
A party spokesperson vowed to reset negotiations with Brussels and take the country forward should the prime minister be defeated in parliament.
It came as Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng insisted the crunch vote would go ahead on Tuesday, amid reports it could be pulled to spare the government a large loss.
The split could have deeper implications after Brexit is settled, former attorney-general Dominic Grieve also warned.
There is a risk that the party will split and cannot continue in its current form, he told Sky News.
And Nigel Dodds, deputy leader of the government’s confidence-and-supply partners the Democratic Unionist Party, warned Mrs May couldn’t count on our support indefinitely.
Mrs May signed off a deal with the EU last month, but must now win the support of MPs.
Jon Trickett, Labour’s shadow cabinet office minister, told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday there should be a general election if she loses the vote.
Our preferred option, very, very strongly, is that we refresh the parliament.
Though we are ready to form a minority government should that be necessary and it could happen on Wednesday morning – and to begin to reset the negotiation and take the country forward in a much better direction.
Mr Kwarteng was upbeat about the government’s chances, telling Sky News they had a good shot at winning because the deal is a strong deal.
Meanwhile, both Esther McVey and Boris Johnson failed to guarantee that they would not challenge Mrs May should she lose the vote.
Former foreign secretary Mr Johnson said it was nonsense to suggest he had already been offering jobs in a future administration to fellow Tories.
But when asked to give an absolute, categorical promise that he would not stand against the prime minister, Mr Johnson told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: I will give you an absolute, categorical promise that I will continue to advocate what I think is the most sensible plan.
Rival protests are taking place in London on Sunday in the run up to Tuesday’s vote.
A Brexit betrayal march featuring controversial activist Tommy Robinson and counter-protests by anti-fascist groups are planned.