Sunday 26 May 2019 5:08 pm | Updated: Tuesday 18 June 2019 2:21 am

Philip Hammond warns Tory leadership candidates against pursuing no-deal Brexit

The Chancellor Philip Hammond has warned prospective Tory leaders not to ignore parliament by pursuing a no-deal Brexit.

A number of leadership candidates, including bookies’ favourite Boris Johnson and former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab have made it clear they would walk away from negotiations and leave the EU without a deal on 31 October if necessary.

Hammond told the BBC parliament would be “vehemently opposed” to policy that involves leaving without a deal.

He said: "It would be very difficult for a prime minister who adopted no deal as a policy … to retain the confidence of the House of Commons"

"I will urge all of my colleagues who are standing in this contest to embrace the concept of compromise … going to parliament with a hard line absolutist view and daring parliament to accept it is quite a dangerous strategy," he added.

Earlier today Raab said: "I will fight for a fairer deal in Brussels … if not I will be clear we will leave on WTO terms in October."

On Friday, Johnson said the UK would leave on 31 October “deal or no deal” and Esther McVey and Andrea Leadsom have both expressed similar views.

Michael Gove became the eighth Tory MP to enter the race to succeed Theresa May today but the environment secretary has yet to outline his plans.

Labour’s John McDonnell added his own warnings in response to the rising threat of a no-deal Brexit.

"There is real threat now of an extremist Brexiteer becoming the leader of the Conservative Party and taking us over the cliff edge of a no deal,” he told Sky News.

“We have got to move to block a no deal.”