South Swindon, MP Robert Buckland was put under pressure by Today programme host John Humphries to explain how Boris Johnson would get around parliament's new legislation.

MPs passed a law that requires Mr Johnson to ask the EU for an extension to Brexit if he cannot reach a deal by October 31.

Speaking on the Radio 4 show, Mr Buckland, the current justice secretary, said: “There’s a long way to go here in terms of the detail as to what might be negotiated. I think anybody who seems to not believe the government when we say we are in deadly earnest when we want a a deal is just wrong.

“There’s plenty of evidence that we are. We’re striving to achieve that.

“I still believe that the public would expect parliament to crack on and pass any necessary legislation to allow us to leave on October 31 because more delay just means more uncertainty and cost.”