Sajid Javid shoots down speculation of a snap general election in June

Home secretary Sajid Javid has shot down rumours of a general election in June, saying "the people would never forgive us" if one was called.

Speaking to the BBC, Javid said "the last thing" people wanted was a general election. “They want politicians to get on with the job," added. "They have been given a very clear mandate, now it’s our job to get on with it.”

Over the weekend there have been reports that Downing Street could be planning an extension to article 50, the mechanism that allows the UK to leave the EU, to lend Theresa May more time to get parliamentary backing for a new Brexit deal, before turning to the electorate later in June.

The rumours come as a fresh opinion poll shows the Conservatives enjoying a seven-point lead over the Labour party.

Javid was asked about reports in the Mail on Sunday that senior staff at Conservative HQ have been getting into general election mode. The newspaper reported that Conservative Campaign Headquarters has said it would triple spending on online advertising in the coming weeks to promote party policies, while its chief executive Sir Mick Davis allegedly placed the Tories on a "war footing" last week. 

Addressing the rumours, Javid said: “I know that Conservative party headquarters is planning on only one set of elections, which is the local government elections. The last thing this country wants is an election; they want parliament to deliver Brexit in an orderly way."

Talk of a snap general election comes as Theresa May prepares to head to Brussels to reopen talks on the Irish backstop, the issue many MPs cited as the reason for voting against her deal in historic numbers last month.

Last week MPs voted in favour of an amendment tabled by Sir Graham Brady that called on the government to seek "alternative arrangements" to the backstop through technology.

Javid said she would be accompanied by Brexit secretary Steve Barclay who would focus on finding solutions to the backstop while the attorney general Geoffrey Cox would push for a time limit to the backstop or an exit clause.

The EU has repeatedly said the backstop is an essential part of the withdrawal agreement that is not up for negotiation. But Javid contradicted EU statements, saying: "It can be done." 

The home secretary was also asked whether the UK would be less safe in the event it withdrew from the EU without a deal. He conceded that there would be some systems that the UK would cease to be a member of, such as the European arrest warrant, but that while there would be a "change in capability", the UK would remain a "very safe country".