Boris Johnson took a break from Brexit to wish the Downing Street mouser Larry happy international cat day. The prime minister said the EU still had “bags of time” to compromise on a deal

Michael Gove raised the prospect of holding a bank holiday on November 1 amid concerns that a no-deal Brexit would cause turmoil on the financial markets.

Mr Gove, who is in charge of no-deal preparations, said that the government would consider the idea during a meeting with business leaders yesterday.

After details of his comments were leaked to The Times, No 10 made it clear that a November 1 bank holiday was not government policy and would not happen.

Mr Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, met business leaders in Downing Street where they raised concerns about the immediate aftermath of a no-deal Brexit on October 31 when the financial markets opened. According to two sources Mr Gove said: “I