A SUCCESSFUL House of Commons bid to stop a new prime minister suspending Parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit split East Lancashire MPs down party lines.

Labour MP Kate Hollern (Blackburn), Graham Jones (Hyndburn) and Julie Cooper (Burnley) supported the move.

Conservatives Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley), Jake Berry (Rossendale and Darwen) and Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) opposed it.

A majority of 41 approved a resolution that blocks suspension between October 9 and December 18 unless a Northern Ireland executive is formed.

Leadership contender Boris Johnson has not ruled out suspending Parliament to get Brexit through by October 31 but his rival Jeremy Hunt has done so.

Mrs Cooper said: "A new Tory leader suspending Parliament to get Brexit through would be outrageous. This is supposed to be about bringing Parliamentary sovereignty back to Westminster."

Mr Evans said: "The new prime Minister needs to keep all weapons available for his negotiations with the European Union.

"Giving one away would be absolutely insane. The MPs who voted for this want to remain in the EU."