Philip Hammond has told Tory leadership candidates including Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab any plans they may have for a no deal Brexit would be blocked by Parliament.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, a strong opponent of a no deal exit, he told the BBC this morning that that No Deal would have 'serious implication for our country', adding: 'Parliament has voted very clearly to oppose a no deal exit.

He even refused to rule out voting against the government in a confidence motion on the issue.

'This is a Parliamentary democracy. A Prime Minister who ignores Parliament cannot expect to survive very long.'

It came as the the Tory leadership race intensified on only the second full day since the Prime Minister's resignation, with Dominic Raab, Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, and Esther McVey setting out their stall in print and on television as a 'Stop Boris' operation gained momentum.

Both former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, and leadership front runner Boris Johnson, have said the UK will leave the EU on October 31 whether or not a deal can be reached.

Mr Hammond said: 'Some people on the hardline Brexit wing of my party have consistently failed to understand how the EU have approached this problem', adding that the EU had 'never wavered' from their plans on how to deal with the UK as a departing member.

He said: 'I hear a lot of my colleagues talking about 'wanting to do a deal' with the EU, but actually very many of them only want to do a deal that is entirely on their terms.

'They're not really proposing to negotiate with the European Union they're simply proposing to go to Brussels, once again, and tell the EU, once again, what it is they don't like about the Withdrawal Agreement.'

'The EU will not renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement, I'm quite sure about that', he said.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond told Andre Marr that 'daring' Parliament to oppose a no deal Brexit would be a 'very dangerous strategy'

The Chancellor argued that Tories saying they would seek to renegotiate before leaving on no deal if necessary were offering the renegotiation as a 'figleaf' because EU internal politics, and timings of its sessions, would mean such a renegotiation was simply impossible before October.

Saying that No Deal would have 'serious implication for our country' the Chancellor warned: 'Parliament has voted very clearly to oppose a no deal exit.'

Ignoring Mr Marr's interjection that Parliament would not need to be consulted given existing legislation, he went on: 'This is a Parliamentary democracy. A Prime Minister who ignores Parliament cannot expect to survive very long.'

Asked about plans outlined this morning by Dominic Raab to leave in October even if a deal is not done he said: 'Parliament will be vehemently opposed to that strategy.'

'Going to Parliament with a hard line, absolutist view, and daring Parliament to accept it, is quite a dangerous strategy.'

He also warned he might even be prepared to take the drastic step of voting to bring down a future Conservative government in order to avoid no-deal.

Mr Hammond told Andrew Marr: 'I think it would be very difficult for a prime minister who adopted no deal as a policy - we are leaving with no deal as a matter of policy - to retain the confidence of the House of Commons.'

Asked if whether he would vote against the Government on a no-deal withdrawal if he was a backbencher in the autumn, the Chancellor said: 'I would certainly not support a strategy to take us out with no deal.'

Asked again if he could vote against the Government on a confidence motion, the Chancellor said: 'I'm saying this is a very difficult situation. It would challenge not just me, but many of our colleagues, and I hope we will never get to that position.'

On whether he would vote against the Government in a confidence motion in the circumstance of no deal, Mr Hammond said: 'It's a hypothetical question because I don't know what the confidence motion is.

'What I would say is that in 22 years in Parliament, I have never voted against the Conservative whip, unlike many of my colleagues, and I don't want to have to start now contemplating such a course of action.'

He added: 'I would find it very difficult to vote for a no-deal Brexit, but I have never voted against my government, or my party, in the 22 years that I have been in Parliament.

'And I don't want to be put in that situation. So my focus will be trying to ensure that I don't find myself facing that challenge.'

Asked again if he could vote against the Government on a confidence motion, the Chancellor said: 'I'm saying this is a very difficult situation. It would challenge not just me, but many of our colleagues, and I hope we will never get to that position.'

Ruling himself out of the leadership race, but positioning himself as an elder statesman to be wooed by the contenders, Mr Hammond said he would be meeting with the candidates in a series of one-on-one meetings, insisting the race was about 'policies, not personalities.'

Earlier today former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab sought to differentiate himself from his fellow hard-Brexiteer Boris Johnson by telling Andrew Marr ''I'm a details guy' three times.

He joined Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt, Rory Stewart and Matt Hancock in veiled attacks on Mr Johnson, his policy positions, or his work ethic, as the campaign against the Tory front-runner intensified.

Despite insisting he would not be bad-mouthing any fellow Conservatives, Mr Raab's repetition of his eye for the fine print - he also mentioned his years as a lawyer and in the Foreign Office, twice - will be seen as an attempt to position himself as the 'serious' hard-Brexit candidate.

Mr Raab said he would not request an extension on the Brexit departure date, blaming the outgoing PM for not being 'resolute' enough in her negotiations.

Mr Raab said in his time as Brexit secretary he had been 'undermined' by others in the government saying the UK should be more resolute in its negotiating position, and would be under his leadership.

He said: 'We took no deal off the table. I don't want a WTO Brexit, but if w're not willing to walk away from a negotiation it doesn't focus the mind of the other side.'

He said among his demands would be an end date for the Northern Irish backstop.

He said: 'I don't think we were resolute enough ... it's become a miserly, dour, risk-management exercise rather than grasping the opportunity to take back control of our laws, our borders, and our money - and also to have the global advantage and opportunities that free trade brings.'

Grammar school alumnus Mr Raab said his leadership of the party, and of the country, would include 'fighting for a fairer society' where 'a kid from a humble home gets their shot'.

What are the odds? Bookies make Boris the favourite and Cameron a 200/1 long shot Bookmakers Willian Hill are offering odds on dozens of Tory MPs and MEPs to be next party leader. Of those who have said they'll run the odds are: Boris Johnson: 13/8 Domin Raab: 4/1 Michael Gove: 5/1 Jeremy Hunt: 10/1 Rory Stewart: 14/1 Andrea Leadsom: 16/1 Matt Hancock: 25/1 Esther McVey: 66/1 Tories who are know to be considering a run are at longer odds, including Penny Mordaunt at 22/1, and Sajid Javid and 1922 Committee Chairman Graham Brady, both at 25/1. Punters can also bet on big names highly unlikely to stand, including: Jacob Reed-Mogg: 66/1 Dan Hannan: 200/1 David Cameron: 200/1 Chris Grayling: 250/1 Advertisement

This morning Brexiteer Michael Gove, who famously torpedoed Boris Johnson's leadership bid in 2016 to run himself, announced that he is to have another attempt at becoming prime minister.

Speaking outside his home The Environment Secretary said: 'I can confirm that I will be putting my name forward to be prime minister of this country.

'I believe that I'm ready to unite the Conservative and Union Party, ready to deliver Brexit, and ready to lead this great country.'

Just minutes before Boris Johnson's planned launch of his own campaign during the 2016 leadership race his close ally Mr Gove entered the race himself, quitting as Johnson's campaign chairman and insisting the former Mayor of London was unfit to be leader.

In a BBC podcast, Gove will say that 'it is not enough for them [next leader] to just believe in Brexit. The next leader must respect it, believe in it and, crucially, have the wherewithal to deliver it,' according to the Sunday Times.

Theresa May announced her resignation on Friday and will step down on June 7.

Parliamentary party members will begin whittling down the field of contenders to a final two from June 10.

The finalists will then be put to a postal ballot of 100,000 party members in July. Mrs May will stay on as Prime Minister until the new leader is chosen.

The list of candidates to replace her already including Johnson, Gove, Raab and Andrea Leadsom from the Brexit wing of the party as well as Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who campaigned for Remain but has since reversed his stance.

The field grew further on Saturday when moderates Health Secretary Matt Hancock and International Development Secretary Rory Stewart entered the race.

Leaving the European Union without an agreement is 'not an active policy choice that is available to the next prime minister,' Hancock told Sky News.

And Cabinet newcomer Rory Stewart, 46, told the BBC Mr Johnson had told him recently that he had no plans to pursue a no deal Brexit, but when Boris announced his run he insisted the UK would leave the EU 'deal or no deal.

'We had a conversation about 20, 25 minutes and I left the room reassured by him that he wouldn't do this.

'But, it now seems that he is coming out for a no-deal Brexit.'

Mr Stewart said there was no majority in the Commons for no deal, adding: 'I think it would be a huge mistake. Damaging, unnecessary, and I think also dishonest.'

But Mr Johnson has pledged to take the country out of the EU in October - with or without a deal - if he wins the leadership race.

Mr Stewart went on: I could not serve in a government whose policy was to push this country into a no-deal Brexit.

'I could not serve with Boris Johnson.'

Then in a Tweet which has already received 5,000 Likes he seemed to compare the front runner to Pinocchio.

Former House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom, whose resignation on Thursday pushed May towards stepping down, has also confirmed she will run.

She told reporters outside her home this lunchtime she believed she was the 'decisive and compassionate leader' who could unite the country.

She refused to speculate on which other candidates she could or could not work with saying she would set out her own stall for running the country once the campaign gets underway.

Asked if she would be prepared to leave without a deal she said: 'Of course in order to be able to succeed in a negotiation you have to be prepared to leave without a deal.

'But I have a three- point plan for Brexit, for how we get out of the European Union, I'm very optimistic about it.'

Jeremy Hunt, pictured on a run today, referenced both small business and Homey's Odyssey in his pitch to be Tory leader

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt - seemingly in a bid to appeal to the party's middle-England base as well as its public school grandees - referenced both his small-business background and Homer's Odyssey as he made his pitch for the top job.

Mr Hunt told the Sunday Times: 'If I was prime minister, I'd be the first prime minister in living memory who has been an entrepreneur by background.

'Doing deals is my bread and butter as someone who has set up their own business.'

Mr Hunt's emphasis on his entrepreneurial past is being seen as swipe at Mr Johnson who reportedly once said 'f*** business' in relation to Brexit.

In a reference to the mythical rocks and whirlpools between which Odysseus is said to have navigated on his epic voyage home from the Trojan war, Mr Hunt said. 'The real question is: who has got the experience to avoid the Scylla and Charybdis of no-deal or no Brexit.

'I've got very important experience in that respect.

'We can never take no-deal off the table but the best way of avoiding it is to make sure you have someone who is capable of negotiating a deal.'