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Labour are refusing to back a snap election until chiefs are sure no-deal Brexit on October 31 can be blocked, a top ally of Jeremy Corbyn declared today.

Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti was sent on the airwaves to clarify party policy after Labour MPs clashed over whether to back Boris Johnson's plan for an October 14 poll.

The PM is expected to demand a snap election if MPs vote tonight to take control of the Commons order paper - the first step to stopping no-deal Brexit.

That, in turn, will force a vote in Parliament as soon as tomorrow night to trigger the general election in 40 days' time.

But any election needs the backing of two-thirds of all MPs to be approved - and Labour MPs are split over whether to let Mr Johnson have his way.

They are afraid the Prime Minister will cheat them out of being able to stop no-deal Brexit and use sneaky methods in an election to ram it through.

The fears revolve around a Bill tabled by MPs to delay Brexit by three months to January 31 in order to stop no-deal.

(Image: Getty Images)

It's expected Parliament will be dissolved on Monday next week - just enough time to pass the Bill.

But there are fears Boris Johnson will either stop the law being passed - or, worse, get MPs to pass an October 14 election only to sneakily change that date when he visits the Queen.

No10 sources and ex-Chancellor Philip Hammond have both confirmed the power to set the final date rests with the Prime Minister alone.

Downing Street today flatly denied Boris Johnson will sneakily change the date of an election. The PM's official spokesman insisted: “It is simply wrong to suggest that the polling day could or would be changed”.

But the issue sparked a row in Labour, with dozens of MPs saying they did not want to vote in favour of an election in case they are betrayed by the lying Tory PM.

Last night Jeremy Corbyn said he’d be “delighted” to bring the fight to Boris Johnson.

But shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Tony Lloyd said: “We are not daft enough to see a tactic dictated by PM Johnson which is designed to land us with a no-deal Brexit and to fall for that.”

(Image: WPA Pool)

The Mirror understands senior allies to Jeremy Corbyn - including Emily Thornberry and John McDonnell - raised the fears of deception at yesterday's shadow cabinet.

One top shadow minister said: "Boris Johnson could come to the Commons seeking a two-thirds majority for dissolution on the promise of a date.

"And then once he's got the authority and the Queen dissolves Parliament, the date could be changed.

"We will be looking very carefully at what mechanisms are available to us to ensure Boris Johnson can't make a promise to Parliament then renege on it."

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A string of backbench MPs also voiced concerns. Labour MP Diana Johnson said: "I will not be supporting any attempt by the PM to force a General Election at this time of national crisis. We first need to avert a no deal crash out of the EU on 31st October."

Ms Chakrabarti was then sent out onto the BBC this morning in a public bid to set the record straight.

She said the “priority” is to “get this legislation locked down” to prevent a no-deal Brexit - and Labour will of course “live and breathe” for an election after that.

She added “it’s about sequencing” before Labour can vote in favour of an election in the House of Commons.

(Image: Ian Forsyth)

Baroness Chakrabarti told the BBC: "The priority this morning... is preventing this no-deal crash out.

"What we need to ensure is that we get this legislation locked down... we've got to get a locked-in guarantee that Britain would not crash out of the EU in an election campaign period.

"We've also got to try as best as possible to ensure that it wouldn't be possible for the sitting, squatting prime minister in this period to set a general election and then change the date.

"So the priority this morning is preventing this no-deal crash out.

"And then, of course, if we get the sequencing right and we can get sufficient support across the house we live and breathe for a general election."

(Image: REUTERS)

A senior government source last night denied Boris Johnson would change the date from October 14 once MPs had voted.

Quizzed by journalists, the senior government source admitted it is the PM who confirms the final date with the Queen - after MPs' vote.

But the source ruled out any election after the date of the October 17 European Council summit. “It’s October 14,” they insisted.