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Boris Johnson is not planning for a general election in mid-October, a senior UK official insisted today.

The government was forced into a denial after shock reports emerged of the PM's aides "war-gaming" for a poll on October 17.

According to the Sunday Times, aides are considering one situation in which they would allow Labour to win a no-confidence vote early next month.

In a massive gamble, that would then give Boris Johnson the opportunity to campaign in the country on his pledge to quit the EU on October 31 'do or die'.

The newspaper claims his senior advisor Dominic Cummings told colleagues last week: "I'm going to go and meet billionaire hedge fund managers and get a giant pot of cash from them."

(Image: REUTERS)

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said: "This is Johnson’s top adviser selling out the country to the billionaire tax dodgers who crashed our economy for their own personal greed.

"The general election will be a clear choice between the Conservative party, funded by the billionaires who ripped us all off, and Labour, funded by millions of working people in pursuit of a fairer country."

But a senior British official today appeared to rule out an October poll.

They said: "The Prime Minister isn't planning on that.”

A source added the claims were "bollocks".

The PM has reportedly taken legal advice from the Government's top law officer, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, about temporarily shutting down Parliament for five weeks from September 9.

But a senior British official said Mr Johnson would not stop MPs “debating Brexit in Parliament”.