EXCLUSIVE / Britain’s ruling Conservative Party is planning to hold fresh general elections in November, to secure a popular mandate for a new Brexit government.

A Brussels source with close connections to the Tories said, “We’ve been told there will be a general election in November by a very, very high source.”

“After a new leader is picked, it will be straight to the poll. There needs to be a mandate for a new Brexit government.

“The new leader, who I would guess is going to be an outer, needs that mandate.”

UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced his resignation this morning after Britons voted to quit the EU in the referendum he had promised if re-elected.

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn today (24 June) faced a motion of no confidence in his leadership after the referendum.

Cameron plans to stay on until October before handing over to his successor, expected to be Boris Johnson, who would invoke Article 50 of the EU Treaty, beginning the legal process to take Britain out of the EU.

But the EU today pushed back against those plans, demanding that the Article be activated sooner to quell the uncertainty in the markets that is already hurting both the pound and the euro.

At a press conference, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said, “ We now expect the United Kingdom government to give effect to this decision of the British people as soon as possible, however painful that process may be. Any delay would unnecessarily prolong uncertainty.”