Boris Johnson has to prepare for a general election, key ally warns – but he promises not to hold one before October 31
BORIS Johnson has to start preparing for a general election even if he's not planning one for another three years, Iain Duncan Smith has warned - but BoJo's promised not to hold one before October 31.
The former Leader of the Conservative Party said yesterday the Government must start getting ready to go back to the polls again.
But this evening Boris promised he wouldn't take the nation back the polls before Brexit on October 31.
Sky News repeatedly pushed him to guarantee Brenda from Bristol that there wouldn't be a snap poll in the next 97 days.
And he replied: "Absolutely".
It comes amid growing speculation that the new Prime Minister is already gearing up to fight one anyway to smash Jeremy Corbyn and get a bigger majority to push through Brexit.
Mr Duncan Smith said: "Any Government worth its salt would prepare for that eventuality.
"But the truth is I doubt whether my party will call for an election prior to the 31st."
Boris has vowed to get Britain out of the EU by October 31 no matter what happens - whether that's without a deal or not.
And Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rishi Sunak told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We live in a parliamentary democracy, you can never rule out general elections in that sense."
Meanwhile new Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said that a snap election is "impossible to rule out" thanks to Boris' dwindling majority.
The news comes as Boris plans to speak to police chiefs today and sell his new policy of hiring more officers to the public.
He'll do a walkabout with his new Home Secretary Priti Patel - a style of campaigning usually only seen in an election.
Boris has plans to visit the Midlands today and the North West tomorrow before embarking on a nationwide tour next week.
Tomorrow he will give his first major speech to the nation since he came into Downing Street by outlining plans for more cash for the North and regions.
One source said it was "straight out of the Vote Leave playbook".
The Leave campaign's iconic battle bus travelled the country to rally support for Brexit in 2016 - which paid off with the historic referendum result.
Even if the PM does manage to get enough MPs on side to pass Brexit, he'll be paralysed with his small majority and will have to think about returning to the polls to shore up his position.
Boris and his top team yesterday played down the idea of a snap election.
If he wants one he would have to get two thirds of MPs in the House of Commons to vote for it first.
But Labour are already urging the Government to call one.
Another way there could be an election is if Boris loses a vote of confidence in the house.
He has just days to get the numbers in the House
In the past 48 hours Boris has filled his top team with experienced campaigners with track records on delivering in elections - including Vote Leave's Dominic Cummings and Rob Oxley.
Purging those who didn't believe in his vision last night in a brutal reshuffle also showed just how seriously he's taking the new administration's main mission - to deliver Brexit come what may.
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An election will have been on his mind for the last 11 weeks when he was trying to appeal to the Tory members, who want to see what he would be like on the doorstep.
They said time and time again they were looking for someone both who would deliver Brexit and win them an election, whenever it may come.
Boris' track record winning two Mayoral terms in London would have boosted his support among wavering voters too.
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