Jeremy Corbyn has said he would “look at” calling a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson’s government in September and he was “fit” and “ready” to fight a general election.
Speaking to Sky News’ Ridge on Sunday programme, the Labour leader said he was was not worried about going to the polls against the new prime minister.
The Conservative Party has gained 10 points to stand at 30%, a survey by Deltapoll for the Mail on Sunday showed.
That puts them five points ahead of Labour at 25%, with the Lib Dems on 18% and the Brexit Party on 14%.
Asked about leading Labour into an election, Corbyn said today: “I am fine, I am fit, I am ready, I am raring to go.”
“I’ve got my summer campaign plan in place, we’ve got most of our candidates selected in all our marginal constituencies,” Corbyn said.
We’ll go out there and we’ll make our case. I don’t get involved in personal abuse, I don’t make any personal abuse, I don’t do personal, as far as I’m concerned the issues are too serious.”
Corbyn said he could try to bring down Johnson’s government with a Commons vote as soon as parliament returns from the summer recess.
“Parliament gets back in September and I think it’s at that point we will look at the situation,” he said.
It comes as Michael Gove said the new government was “operating on the assumption” that Britain will leave the EU without a deal on October 31.
The new Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, who is in charge of no-deal preparations in the Cabinet Office, said there was a “very real prospect” that an agreement would not be struck with Brussels before the Halloween deadline.
Writing in The Sunday Times, he said that while the aim was still to leave with a deal, the Government needed to prepare for every eventuality.
“With a new prime minister, a new government, and a new clarity of mission, we will exit the EU on October 31. No ifs. No buts. No more delay. Brexit is happening,” he said.