Jeremy Corbyn will 'take over' in wake of no confidence vote in Boris Johnson, claims John McDonnell

John McDonnell believes Labour could secure a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson, which would put Jeremy Corbyn in Number 10.

The Shadow Chancellor, who described the Prime Minister as "one of the most ruthless politicians he's ever come across", laid out how he thought Labour could force a General Election.

Speaking at an Edinburgh Fringe event, Mr McDonnell said: "The process is you put a no confidence motion forward, we would maximise the mobilisation in parliament to secure that vote - again that means no coalitions or pacts - we put it there and I think people of goodwill who are concerned about the interests of this country and avoiding a no-deal Brexit, vote for it. I think there will be a number of Conservatives in that."

He said there would then be a two week period in which "the existing PM or anyone else can determine whether or not they can secure a majority government."

"During that period, that's when we will be saying Labour can form a majority government and we will expect others to come behind us to do that," he added: "So it becomes a caretaker government - and part of that will be about saying, to block a no deal we will go back to the country with a referendum.

"That will be the choice that other political parties and MPs will have, will they support Labour going into government to prevent a no deal? I think there will be a majority for that."

However, he said if necessary there would be a second no confidence motion, and said that the Prime Minister's adviser, Dominic Cummings, "had got it wrong".

Mr Cummings has said Parliament would not be able to find a way of "forcing out" Mr Johnson to stop a no-deal Brexit, after Dominic Grieve, a former attorney general and Tory MP, said it would be unconstitutional for the Prime Minister to defy any vote of no confidence and remain in Downing Street until after the Brexit deadline of October 31.

Cummings is said to have told advisers that Johnson would ignore the result of the confidence vote and call a “people v politicians” general election – to be held after Britain had left the EU.

Today Mr McDonnell said: "If necessary there's a second no confidence motion. I think Cummings got it wrong. That second no confidence motion will be the one which will be used, if necessary, to force a general election, no Prime Minister can stay sustain themselves in office if they no longer have a majority in the House of Commons.

"I don't want to drag the Queen into this but I'll be sending Jeremy Corbyn in a cab to Buckingham Palace to say we're taking over."

Asked for his opinion on the Prime Minister, he said: Don't think Boris Johnson is a buffoon. He wants people to think that. that he's this optimistic buffoon bumbling around, but he's one of the most ruthless politicians I've ever come across; ruthless in terms of his self-interest, not in the interest of the country.

"Don't under-estimate him, I warn you of that. Never refer to him as a buffoon because that's what he wants, he doesn't want you to take him seriously - that's just Boris, that's just him, don't worry he's adding to the gaiety of our lives... no he isn't.

"I think he's a real threat, and one of the biggest threats is his relationship with Donald Trump that's one of the biggest threats we've got to the future of this country."