Caroline Lucas proposes all-female 'emergency cabinet' to stop no-deal Brexit and push for second referendum

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas has proposed a cross-party all-female "emergency cabinet" to block a no-deal Brexit and push for a second referendum.

The extraordinary plan would see the formation of a government of national unity following a Commons vote of no-confidence in prime minister Boris Johnson.

The temporary cabinet would exist only to propose another Brexit referendum, in which the choice would likely be to either remain in the EU or leave without a deal.

Ms Lucas has written to 10 other female politicians opposed to a no-deal break with the European Union, inviting them to form the temporary government.

Among the women she asked to join her are Labour's shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson and Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Writing in The Guardian, Ms Lucas said: "We need an 'emergency cabinet' - not to fight a Brexit war but to work for reconciliation. And I believe this should be a cabinet of women.

"Why women? Because I believe women have shown they can bring a different perspective to crises, are able to reach out to those they disagree with and cooperate to find solutions.

"A government of national unity must do exactly that - unite parties. And I believe that a cross-party cabinet of women has the potential to do exactly that."

The other MPs contacted by Ms Lucas are Tory former cabinet minister Justine Greening, senior Labour backbencher Yvette Cooper, the SNP's Kirsty Blackman, Liz Saville Roberts of Plaid Cymru, Change UK's Anna Soubry and the independents Heidi Allen and Lady Sylvia Hermon.

The proposal was met with scepticism by many in Parliament, including senior Labour figures opposed to a no-deal Brexit.

Turning down her invitation, Ms Thornberry said the plan would "not solve our country's divisions" but instead "risk worsening the feelings of anger and resentment" held by the public towards Parliament.

Labour MP Clive Lewis was one of a number of politicians and commentators to raise questions about the lack of black and minority ethnic women among those invited by Ms Lucas.

"I think this a very interesting proposal.. One genuine question: Where are the BAME women politicians?" Mr Lewis tweeted.

Responding to Mr Lewis, Ms Lucas said her list of invitees was selected because they were leaders or deputy leaders in their relevant parties and groupings.

"But completely agree with you - it absolutely needs to be opened out further eg would love [Dianne Abbott] to be involved," Ms Lucas tweeted, citing Labour's shadow home secretary, who is black.

Ms Abbott had earlier ruled herself out of any involvement in the plan.

"Backdoor route to a National Government. Didn’t work for Ramsey Macdonald and won’t work now, whatever the gender of the participants," she tweeted, in reference to the country's first national government formed during the Great Depression in 1931.

Additional reporting by PA