Boris Johnson news: Labour vows no confidence vote in government as Downing Street says no way Brexit can be stopped

He has arrived. And he is doing selfies. Boris Johnson is meeting staff at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston this morning as he unveils plans to upgrade facilities and equipment at the NHS institution – and other hospitals across England.

The prime minister meets staff at Lincolnshire hospital (Getty) 

More now on the debate over whether MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit have already missed their chance to block it, as the health secretary suggested this morning.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, Boris Johnson’s spokesman has said the country will be coming out on 31 October, regardless of any moves made by in parliament.

Asked if Johnson agreed it was too late to stop a no-deal Brexit, the spokesman said: “The UK will be leaving the EU on 31 October whatever the circumstances. There are no ifs or buts. We must restore trust in our democracy and fulfil the repeated promises of parliament to the people by coming out of the EU on 31 October.”

He added: “Politicians cannot choose which votes to respect. They promised to respect the referendum result and we must do so.”

Jeremy Corbyn hailed the "incredible spirit" of the community at Whaley Bridge as he saw the ongoing repair work on the damaged dam.

He said: "Incredible response by the community, the volunteers and I think really in co-ordination between the Environment Agency, the Canals and Rivers Trust, the county council, local authorities, police, RAF, everybody... really efficient. What you see is this incredible spirit around working so well together."

Asked if there should be an inquiry, the Labour leader said: "Yes there has to be an inquiry.

"An inquiry to make sure all the co-ordination worked effectively and everything I have seen shows it did but there are always lessons to be learned.

"I have just spent some time at a residents' meeting and they had wholly legitimate questions about how to get to work, how to get home, family, pets, medical supplies and things like that but also the loss of earnings from people who can't get out to work, those that are self-employed and the way in what is known as the Bellwin formula - which supports public authorities in the event of an emergency like this - actually impacts on communities as well."

The firefighter in charge of preventing a dam bursting over a Peak District village has spoken of his fear the entire structure could collapse – and said the danger was not yet over.

Gavin Tomlinson, deputy chief officer of Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, is leading ongoing efforts to secure Toddbrook Reservoir after its spillway wall gave way, threatening an inundation of Whaley Bridge below.

More from our Northern correspondent Colin Drury:

Boris Johnson has insisted that the NHS funding he announced today is "new money" after criticism from health experts.

He​ told reporters: "Don't forget that this is £1.8 billion of new money. It wasn't there 10 days ago.

"It's on top of the extra £34 billion we are putting into the NHS and I've said that my job is to make sure that we use the funds that go into the NHS to reduce the time you wait to see your GP, the time you wait in A&E - and that's why we are doing it today.

"I would also stress that it is vital if we are going to fund our fantastic NHS in the long term that we have a strong economy."

Labour’s Jack Dromey, a vocal critic of a no-deal Brexit, said there is “strong all-party consensus” against a no-deal Brexit but admitted that it "remains to be seen" how the Commons would do it.

Speaking to the Westminster Hour on Radio 4, he said Labour were talking not only to Liberal Democrats but also what he called “’forces of light’ Tories” – all of whom share the view that a no-deal Brexit would be “catastrophic”.

Mr Dromey said: “There is an utter determination that we will stop a no-deal. There is a strong all-party consensus, [a] high degree of dialogue that is going on.

"The question is when and what mechanism. But that move will happen. It will happen. Now, as to when - and the difficulties associated with that - remains to be seen. But it will happen.

"It’s not appropriate to discuss who is talking to who…I call them the ‘forces of light’ Tories – we are talking across party - including with the Liberal Democrats – we are talking to people who have a shared view which is a no deal Brexit is catastrophic."

Both the prime minister and leader of the opposition have been asked about the prospects of a general election and no-deal Brexit on their respective trips to Lincolnshire and Derbyshire.

Asked whether he would be preparing to fight an election based on Labour winning a vote of no confidence, Boris Johnson: “No. The answer is no. The people of the UK voted in the election 2015, they had a referendum in 2015, and another election in 2017.

“They want us to deliver what they asked for – and that is for us to leave the EU. The last thing I want to do is call another election.”

Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, said: “We will do everything to stop no-deal including a no confidence vote at the appropriate very early time to do it. The prime minister seems to be trying to slip no deal through, slip past parliament and slip past the British people.

“Sorry, no deal will be really serious. Serious for food prices, for medical supplies, for trade, for investment and drive us straight into the hands of the sort of trade deal that Donald Trump wants to do with Boris Johnson.

“I’m sorry, it’s not on, it’s not acceptable. We will do everything we can to block it. There will be a no-confidence motion put at a point when we can win it and a point when we can make sure this government is not allowed to take this country out of the union with no deal because of all the dangers there will be to the people of this country.”

Jeremy Corbyn has just tweeted about his meeting with Whaley Bridge residents, but it’s his comments on a no confidence vote – he wants to hold one in parliament at an “appropriate very early time” – that will set tongues wagging.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has rejected the idea – reportedly being circulated by Boris Johnson’s senior adviser Dominic Cummings – that’s already too late to stop a no-deal Brexit.

“He [Cummings] has got it wrong, he’s been challenged by a number of other constitutional experts,” he told BBC Radio Ulster during a visit to Belfast.

“We have the opportunity to put down a no-confidence vote to then ensure that actually we can then install a government that will prevent a no deal but there will be other parliamentary mechanisms we can use as well.

“But let’s make it absolutely clear, this could be one of the most reckless endeavours that we have ever seen from any prime minister of any political hue.”

Mr McDonnell said it was “almost inevitable” that Labour would put down a no-confidence motion in September.

John McDonnell also had plenty to say about Boris Johnson’s NHS spending announcement and a possible general election, claiming it was evidence of the Tories are “on manoeuvres” ahead of national vote.

“Either October or the spring,” he said of the prospect of the PM calling an election.

“He might try in October because he knows there is no majority for a no-deal Brexit so he might try to force one on us by calling a general election and going to the people, having delayed parliamentary decision making on the no deal and forcing us into it.

“He’s on manoeuvres definitely and I think we have to be really careful because it’s one thing about being on manoeuvres in terms of pursing your own political career, but actually then putting the country at risk in a reckless gamble of a no deal I think is unacceptable.”

McDonnell said Labour would work with other parties, including Conservative MPs, to block a no deal.