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Looking ahead to a possible election, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University Sir John Curtice has been working out how Labour candidates could manage their interests.

"Because a Labour MP is representing a Leave-voting constituency, that doesn't mean that most Labour voters in that constituency voted Leave," Professor Sir John Curtice tells the BBC News Channel.

"In virtually all cases, most Labour MPs are sitting on a Labour vote which is a majority pro-Remain vote.

"One consideration they might want to have in mind: If the Labour Party wants to win back Leave voters, what better way to do so than undermining the credibility of Boris Johnson in the eyes of Leave voters?

"The Labour Party's vote is two-thirds a Remain vote.

"At the end of the day, the Labour Party finds itself in a serious tussle for the remain vote with Liberal Democrats. It's that division in the Remain vote that potentially gives Boris Johnson his opportunity."

Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

Every day something utterly astonishing happens here. This is one of the most astonishing things.

This isn't some minor family tiff. This is Jo Johnson trying to cut the political legs from under his brother in a very, very public way because he is saying in effect, 'I don't really trust my brother. I don't have confidence in what he's doing. I don't think I can carry on as a Tory MP.'

And the timing and the fact that he's chosen to go public with it in this way is designed to basically put the skids under his brother.

If you just think in your own circumstances in a family, if you have a row, if you have a bitter dispute, most families you keep it within the family. You don't go public in the way Jo Johnson has done unless you really want to create mayhem.

Clearly Jo Johnson is deeply worried about his brother and what he's doing as prime minister and where he is leading the country.

And the problem for Boris Johnson is people will think if his brother doesn't trust him, if his brother is so worried about what he's doing that in the national interest he thinks he has to stand down, then why on earth should anyone else trust him.

This isn't just a personal blow - and I imagine it's deeply wounding to Boris Johnson - but politically this is a significant moment and I would say it's very very damaging.

Image source, Reuters

Downing Street has hit back at a remark by the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.

Reports suggest Mr Barnier said there was "a state of paralysis" in talks with the UK - despite Boris Johnson repeatedly saying he had been making progress with negotiations.

The PM's official spokesman said: "I haven't seen anything from Michel Barnier on the record, but in any event I would completely reject that assessment.

"Both sides agree to continue talks tomorrow after constructive discussions yesterday and we have seen from EU leaders that there is a willingness to find and agree solutions to the problems we have with the old deal."

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rishi Sunak pays tribute to colleague Jo Johnson, who he called "a friend" and "fantastic guy".

"I know this would have been a very personal and very difficult decision for him, but one that was done without any malice at all," he says.

Asked about Jo Johnson saying he has been torn between family loyalty and the national interest, Mr Sunak says the PM was "absolutely" acting in the national interest.

"Every MP will have their own view of what they think is best," he adds.

Also asked when Jo Johnson told his brother Boris Johnson of his decision to quit, Mr Sunak replied: "The conversation between two siblings is obviously not something I can talk about here."

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Labour MP Jess Phillips says she supports a general election – but only once Parliament has decided a way forward on Brexit.

She says: “Until the issue of no-deal is completely off the table, until there is a pathway – whether that is a deal, or a second referendum, I’m not sure how a general election solves anything.”

Asked about Jo Johnson’s decision to quit as an MP, she says it must have been an “incredibly difficult” decision, adding that makes it “even braver”.

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Anne McElvoy, senior editor at the Economist, says Jo Johnson's resignation might just be about their different views - and not necessarily ill will between the brothers.

"My guess about this, knowing both Jo Johnson and Boris Johnson a bit personally, is that actually there may not be terrifically bad blood personally between them," she says.

"There are a lot of people who consider themselves friends of Boris Johnson who simply don't agree with what he's doing and feel, you could say it's the national interest, you could say it's just their preference on Brexit, but they are prepared to act on it."

Image source, Reuters

A spokesman for No 10 has praised Jo Johnson for his hard work after he announced he was resigning.

He said the prime minister's brother had been "a brilliant, talented minister and a fantastic MP".

He added that Boris Johnson "as both a politician and brother understands this will not have been an easy matter for Jo".

"It's incredibly wounding for the prime minister, clearly, if he can't even keep his brother on board," says Politics Professor Tim Bale from Queen Mary University, after Boris Johnson's younger brother Jo resigned.

"People will say, how can he keep his party on board and how can he really convince the electorate that this is a very good idea, the idea of pulling out of the European Union on 31 October without a deal."

Professor Bale adds Boris Johnson is in a "much more difficult position than his strategist Dominic Cummings would have imagined".

"They did understate the extent to which Tory MPs would desert him... Now, you're beginning to get the sense that things are perhaps unravelling a little bit with all that strategy".

Nearly 200,000 people have applied to register to vote since the start of the week.

According to government figures, external, there were 52,400 applications on Monday, followed by 64,500 on Tuesday, and 82,400 on Wednesday.

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Times political reporter Esther Webber says the resignation of Jo Johnson is "obviously a major blow to the prime minister".

"No-one really saw this coming I don't think, given that only a few weeks ago Jo Johnson was put into the cabinet in this role.

"It's a sign I guess of how quickly things seem to be unravelling. Just a few weeks later he feels he can't continue to serve under his own brother."

The latest twists in the Westminster Brexit drama are gripping Europe's newspapers.

Some see a frustrating impasse, others a democratic push-back, but several believe UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will emerge the ultimate victor in an election.

"Boris Johnson's strategy in parliament turns into chaos" declares a headline in France's Le Monde.

For Italy's largest-circulation daily, Il Corriere della Sera, "Boris Johnson is like a cornered boxer".

Centre-right German newspaper Die Welt believes Mr Johnson will win a general election, despite yesterday's parliamentary votes - it's headline says his "100% error rate does not help his opponents".

Read more here