Boris Johnson's new Cabinet 'not a Vote Leave coup', says Jacob Rees-Mogg
A new Cabinet appointed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson is not a coup by Vote Leave, Jacob Rees-Mogg has told ITV's Peston programme.
The newly appointed Leader of the House of Commons said: "Sajid Javid and Liz Truss, who both got very important positions, both backed Remain during the referendum.
"Dominic Cummings is obviously very important because he is very capable at policy, was instrumental in Michael Gove's education reforms and is also a very effective campaigner as he showed during his leadership of Vote Leave.
"But I think to characterise it as a Vote Leave coup is a mistake. It's forgetting that the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the International Trade Secretary were both Remainers."
Read more: Boris Johnson shreds Cabinet in 'brutal' reshuffle
The staunch Brexiter went on to say the House of Commons has already passed legislation which means the United Kingdom leaves the European Union on 31 October.
He batted away suggestions a no-deal Brexit could stopped, stating people are forgetting "the House of Commons has already agreed to it."
Rees-Mogg said Conservatives need to think about having Jeremy Corbyn in leadership, should a General Election be called.
However, he conceded such a ballot is "impossible to rule out" given the extremely slim Commons majority held by the Prime Minister.
Rory Stewart admits he would not stand on Tory no-deal ticket
Former Tory leadership contender Rory Stewart said he would find himself unable to stand as a Conservative on a no-deal manifesto, should the prime minister attempt to gain a mandate on that basis in a General Election.
He said: "I wouldn't stand on a no-deal Brexit coupon at election."
He added: "If [Boris Johnson] said everybody had to stand in favour of a no-deal Brexit then of course somebody like me couldn't stand."
The Penrith and the Border MP challenged Jacob Ress-Mogg's views on a Halloween deadline to sort Brexit by.
Stewart said Parliament has the ability to remove the October 31st hard deadline and prevent a no-deal Brexit, should it wish to do so.
Labour will assess Johnson's Brussels deal
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell fell short of saying Labour will back Remain, should a General Election come around later this year.
He instead said the party would look at any deal brought home from Brussels by the new PM.
Speaking to Robert Peston, he announced: "My view at the moment would almost certainly be Remain.
"If [Boris Johnson] comes back with some sort of deal, we'll look at that, just like we did last time.
"But at the moment I can't see a deal that's acceptable either to Labour, or to quite a bit of his side as well."
Read more: Resignations as Boris Johnson becomes PM
He said the trigger for a motion of No Confidence in the new Government would be dependent on what deal Mr Johnson comes back from Brussels with.
Labour would trigger such a motion "when Boris [Johnson] comes back with something undeliverable, unacceptable".
Hitting out at the new appointments, he said Mr Johnson risked upsetting backbenchers by installing "the most right-wing Cabinet in my lifetime".
He ruled out a Government of national unity to steer the country through Brexit, stating: "It wouldn't survive, it wouldn't work."