Boris Johnson is plotting for an election on November 1, one day after the Brexit leave date, senior Whitehall figures believe.
The timing means a no-deal exit could be through on October 31 if no agreement is reached with the EU.
But the move is a huge gamble as voters could be going to the polls just as the chaos of crashing out unfolds.
Mr Johnson hopes to wrongfoot rival parties and rebel Tory MPs who are planning to call a no confidence vote in him as PM to stop a no-deal.
One senior No10 insider told the Mirror: “There’s no way there will be an election before October 31.
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Even if there’s a no confidence vote and Parliament forces [an election], it is up to the PM to decide when that is, and it would be early November.”
Mr Johnson’s top aide, Dominic Cummings, yesterday hit out at the Tory rebels, telling them: “The Prime Minister believes politicians don’t get to choose which votes they respect.”
Talk of a November poll piles pressure on rebels to call an early no confidence vote in September.
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Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has had a surprise meeting with Donald Trump.
Mr Raab was in talks with vice-president Mike Pence when he was asked into the Oval Office on Monday.
He hailed the President’s “warmth and enthusiasm” and said Mr Trump had a “huge appetite” for a trade deal.
It is the first direct contact since Mr Trump attacked then ambassador Sir Kim Darroch over leaked cables highly critical of the administration.
