Boris Johnson has accused MPs of “collaborating” with the EU in an attempt to stop Brexit.
The prime minister launched the attack after former chancellor Philip Hammond warned a no-deal exit on October 31 would be a “betrayal” of the referendum.
In a Facebook Live steam from Downing Street on Thursday billed as a “People’s PMQs”, Johnson said he was taking questions from voters “unpasteurised” and “unmediated”.
The questions the PM chose to answer during the 20-minute session were selected by him.
“There is terrible kind of collaboration as it were going on between people who think they can block Brexit in parliament and our European friends,” he said.
“The more they think there’s a chance that Brexit can be blocked in Parliament, the more adamant they are in sticking to their position.”
Johnson also pointedly did not rule out holding a general election after the UK has left the EU.
“I think what they [voters] want us to do is get on and deliver Brexit on October 31. I never tire of telling you that’s what we’re going to do,” he said.
MPs are expected to attempt to block Johnson from forcing a no-deal Brexit when they return to the Commons at the start of September.
This morning Hammond, who is helping to lead the cross-party efforts, said the referendum did not deliver a mandate for no-deal.
“Leaving the EU without a deal would be just as much a betrayal of the referendum result as not leaving at all,” he told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme.
“The British people were offered a proposition that we could leave the European Union while having a close relationship, they were told it would be the easiest deal ever done.
“And all the evidence points to people wanting to maintain a close trading relationship with the EU to protect British jobs and British prosperity and minimise disruption in the future.”