By Kate Ferguson, Senior Political Correspondent For Mailonline and John Stevens Deputy Political Editor For The Daily Mail
Published: 12:25 GMT, 18 January 2019 | Updated: 13:08 GMT, 18 January 2019
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Theresa May today ruled out calling a general election - even though Whitehall bosses have been put on high alert for a snap vote.
Britain’s top civil servant told Government departmental heads to be ready in case an election is needed to break the Brexit deadlock.
Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill met senior mandarins this week to discuss preparations in case Mrs May decides to go to the country.
Tory MPs desperately do not want another vote - fearing they will lose their seats - and today the PM's official spokeswoman insisted that she will not call one.
Asked this morning if Mrs May is ruling out a snap general election, her spokeswoman said: ‘Yes.’
Theresa May (pictured outside No10 on Wednesday night) today ruled out calling a general election - even though Whitehall bosses have been put on high alert for a snap vote
But Mrs May ruled out calling an election in 2017 only to U-turn on the pledge and call the vote.
She fronted what many Tories believe was their party's worst ever election campaign - losing her party's majority despite starting with a massive lead in the polls.
Britain is not due to have another election until 2022, as mandated by the Fixed Terms Parliament Act which sets five-year terms.
Boris Johnson (pictured today speaking at JCB in Staffordshire) condemned Theresa May for failing to even try and remove the Irish border backstop today as he made a pitch for the Tory crown
Boris Johnson condemned Theresa May for failing to even try and remove the Irish border backstop today as he made a pitch for the Tory crown.
The former foreign secretary said after Tuesday's devastating defeat, the Prime Minister should make a 'final offer' to the EU of a deal that strips out the border plan and withholds half the £39billion divorce bill until a trade deal is finalised.
Mr Johnson said he would be 'utterly amazed' if Brussels said no but insisted Britain would flourish even if it had to leave without a deal on March 29.
Mr Johnson insisted delaying exit day would further 'erode trust' in politics and fuel suspicion of an 'elite conspiracy to thwart Brexit'.
As Mrs May continues cross party talks on a Plan B Brexit, Mr Johnson
