After 21 Tory rebels backed a bill to prevent a no-deal Brexit, No 10 removed the party whip from them.

As BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg tweets, it could have been a factor in the PM's brother's resignation.

With Boris Johnson expected to speak "directly to the public" later, Labour MP Ben Bradshaw is asked whether it's an attempt to goad Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn into an early election.

"Possibly, but I don't think Jeremy is stupid enough to fall for it," says Exeter MP Mr Bradshaw.

It comes after MPs blocked Mr Johnson's plan for an early election, with Labour refusing to support the move while the option of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October remained possible.

Mr Bradshaw adds: "This is Boris Johnson's desperate last throw of the dice now he's lost his majority, lost all authority, lost every vote he's tried to get through.

"Let him fail in his big promise to take this country out do or die at the end of October and then let's have a general election and I think he'll be absolutely thrashed."

He adds he wants Mr Johnson to "sit there and sweat in his own juices... fail to meet his 31 October deadline, then let's have a general election".

BBC News Channel

Polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice says the joining of Luciana Berger to the Liberal Democrats helps the party's credibility.

"I suspect they're hoping some of the other Change UK MPs will come across to them as well," he adds.

"Frankly the Change UK MPs, now it looks like we're heading for an election in either October or November, rather find themselves up a creek without a paddle."

BBC Radio 5 Live

We always knew Jo Johnson was more of a pro-European than his brother, says BBC News' deputy political editor John Pienaar.

"If you wanted to see a clearer, more vivid example of the split and the tension within this Conservative Party, well here it is.

"Inside the Johnson family, his own brother quitting as a member and a minister. His sister, Rachel, already went over to Change UK and didn't do terribly well out of all that".

Image source, Getty Images

Tory MP Jo Johnson was a transport minister in Theresa May's government.

However, he quit his post in November 2018 over her handling of Brexit, and called instead for a further referendum.

He appeared at his brother's campaign events with their father Stanley, despite their differences over Brexit, appearing to give Boris his support.

And he was rewarded as a result, being brought back into government and becoming a minister.

But now he has resigned from government again, saying there is tension where he is torn between "family loyalty and the national interest".

He will also step down as an MP.

Image source, Lib Dem Jo Swinson and her new recruit Luciana Berger

Luciana Berger has announced she is joining the Liberal Democrats.

The Liverpool Wavertree MP quit Labour in March this year over allegations of anti-Semitism and was a founding member of Change UK.

But she left that grouping earlier this year to sit as an independent.

She has now confirmed she is joining her new party at a "moment of national crisis".

Ms Berger added: "The Liberal Democrats are unequivocal in wanting to stop Brexit and are committed to securing Britain’s future as a tolerant, open and inclusive society.

“I am joining Jo Swinson and the Liberal Democrats today, in the national interest, to offer a vital, positive alternative to Johnson and Corbyn and help build a future that our country deserves.”

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, has welcomed the second defection to her party in a week.

"Luciana (Berger) is a passionate advocate for women’s and LGBT+ rights and she’s at the forefront of efforts to counter anti-Semitism and prevent discrimination," she said.

"I’m delighted to welcome her to the Liberal Democrats, where we can work together to stop Brexit and build a fairer, more equal society for all."

Ms Swinson said her party was "growing in strength as we lead the fight to stop Brexit altogether".

Former Labour MP Luciana Berger has announced she is joining the Liberal Democrats.

The Liverpool Wavertree MP quit Labour in February to join what would become Change UK, but she left that newly-formed party in June.

She takes the Lib Dem MP tally to 16.

Victoria Derbyshire

Conservative MP Caroline Nokes - who also rebelled and voted against the government - says she thinks holding an election now is a "very dangerous strategy".

"The party is divided. Even those who didn't join the rebel alliance are very uncomfortable."

She adds: "I was elected as a Conservative with a broad church of people and it suddenly feels like the moderate people are no longer welcome."

She says she's "really sad" about the way she's been treated - but the decision to rebel was one she "agonised about".

"I don't have any outside income, this is my one and only job. And I'm a single mum with a mortgage to pay.

"I desperately want to stand as a Conservative, I want to be welcomed back into the family that I've always been part of."

She says she also has staff, and for them "to suddenly be staring down the barrel of a general election and unemployment in a few weeks' time, that is really tough".

BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith says "the Tory purge" of its own MPs could result in the creation of a "sizeable bloc" of independent MPs in Parliament.

No 10 decided to withdraw the party whip from 21 Tory rebels - effectively kick them out of the party - after they backed the bill to block a no-deal Brexit.

Those who rebelled included Ed Vaizey and Caroline Nokes, who have both said they may run as independent MPs at the next election.

House of Commons
Parliament

While we wait for Jacob Rees-Mogg to return to the dispatch box and find out more about the Brexit timetable, MPs are debating the future of HS2.

The new Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced a review into the rail project soon after he was appointed, and it was revealed HS2 was running late and billions over budget.

The former de-facto deputy prime minister to Theresa May, David Lidington, is less than impressed by the project and calls for works to stop in his constituency of Aylesbury.

Other MPs, including Labour's Lillian Greenwood, wants it to continue to bring new connections to their area.

But the repeated message from Mr Shapps is wait until December for the review to be finished.

Don't worry, I am sure they will get back to Brexit soon...

Victoria Derbyshire

A lot has been written and said about Dominic Cummings, the former campaign director of Vote Leave, since he became an adviser to No 10.

Matt Sanders, a former special adviser to ex-deputy prime minister Nick Clegg shared an office with Mr Cummings, who was then working working for Michael Gove.

"I think it's definitely true that Dominic is someone who relishes a fight," he says. "The defining characteristic of Dominic is that he's at his best when he's fighting someone.

"In (his time at the department of) education he kind of invented this enemy, he called it 'the blob' - basically anyone who disagreed with him.

"I think what we now see is him basically creating an enemy so that he can really roll his sleeves up and get involved in a fight. But it's very surprising for lots of people to see that the enemy he's picked seems to be the party he's working for alongside of course the EU, Remain voters.

"And that's something Dominic's going to be really enjoying."

House of Commons
Parliament

Asked by Tory Brexiteer Peter Bone whether there should be an election before the next EU Council on European 17 October, Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay is in no doubt.

He tells the Commons: "We need to know before the council who [will] negotiate and who can deliver on the referendum."

Mr Barclay says Labour are offering "double speak leaving us in legislative purgatory" by voting against both a deal and no deal.

"The inevitable consequence is they are not prepared to leave," he added.

"The real question is how can you trust what Labour say in their manifesto about Brexit when they have gone back on every word they said at the last general election."

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer asks his government counterpart about Northern Ireland.

He questions whether they "remain fully committed" to an agreement made two years ago around the border with Ireland.

Steve Barclay says the government is "committed to the Belfast Good Friday Agreement" by putting "no infrastructure at the border to impede north/south flow".

But Sir Keir says he had received a "careful answer to a careful question", as he was referring to an agreement in 2017 that was clear about concrete intentions for no border.

The shadow secretary quotes reports claiming the government has "rowed back" on the commitments, now looking at "aspirational measures around the border" and to make trade "as frictionless as possible".

Mr Barclay reiterates that they are not rowing back from the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.