On Thursday Labour urged rebel lawmakers in the ruling Conservatives to help block a no-deal Brexit by bringing down Johnson's administration and allowing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to form a caretaker government before a general election.

"I'm strongly of the view that the government would win a vote of no confidence, I don't see Jeremy Corbyn being able to come together with the numbers, nor do I see any prospect of him leading a so called national unity government," Kwarteng told Sky News.

"He's the most unpopular leader of the opposition we've ever had and the idea that he's going to lead a unity government I think is ridiculous," he said.