Brexit: Labour must 'seriously consider' backing alternative caretaker PM to prevent no-deal if Corbyn fails, says frontbencher

Labour must be ready to support an alternative caretaker prime minister if MPs refuse to put Jeremy Corbyn in No10 to stop a no-deal Brexit, one of his frontbenchers has said.

Paul Sweeney, the shadow Scotland minister, suggested the party should "seriously consider" throwing its weight behind a senior MP - such as Tory grandee Ken Clarke - as a stopgap, if Boris Johnson is toppled in a no-confidence vote.

If Mr Johnson loses a confidence vote, the Labour leader has urged other opposition parties to temporarily install him in No10, in order to prevent the UK from crashing out of the EU on 31 October.

But his plan received a cool reception from the Liberal Democrats and rebel Tories, with Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson instead raising the prospect of Mr Clarke or Labour former deputy leader Harriet Harman as unity candidates.

Aides say Labour is focused on Mr Corbyn's proposals, which is the "simplest and most democratic way" to stop a no-deal Brexit.

John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, also said having Mr Corbyn at the helm of any stopgap was non-negotiable.

However Mr Sweeney left the door open to supporting an alternative caretaker if the Labour leader cannot get the numbers to put him in No10 after a confidence vote.

Asked if he would support Ms Harman or Mr Clarke if they were close to majority support, Mr Sweeney said: “Yes, but like you say, I just don’t see how practical that proposition is.

“How on earth would you begin to test that without having a series of run-off votes in parliament to see what random backbencher could command a majority?

“It’s bizarre. There’s no hard and fast way of proving who would be able to command a majority of MPs."

He told The Debated podcast: "If Jeremy was unsuccessful then I think we would need to be open-minded about if someone had the chance to do it as a neutral figure or any figure really that could command that majority, we would need to seriously consider it.

"I wouldn’t be ruling it out. I would be open minded to looking at that.”

A Labour spokesperson said: "We are focused on supporting Jeremy Corbyn's plan, which is the simplest and most democratic way of stopping a no-deal Brexit."

Mr Corbyn has invited the leaders of other political parties and senior backbenchers to meet to discuss "all tactics available to prevent a no-deal Brexit".

The letter said: "The country is heading into a constitutional and political storm, so it is vital that we meet urgently, before parliament returns.

"The chaos and dislocation of Boris Johnson’s No Deal Brexit is real and threatening, as the government’s leaked Operation Yellowhammer dossier makes crystal clear. That’s why we must do everything we can to stop it."

Independent MP Nick Boles, who defected from the Tories over Brexit, rejected his invitation and urged him to concentrate on using legislative measures to stop a no deal.