10 questions Boris must answer
It came as leadership favourite Boris Johnson reiterated his willingness to go for a no-deal Brexit.
Rivals Andrea Leadsom, Esther McVey and Dominic Raab have all vowed to leave on October 31, whatever.
Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove have said they would try to renegotiate but could ultimately go without a deal.
Mr Starmer said the Tory leadership contest had descended into “the disturbing, the ludicrous and the reckless” on Brexit.
Tory MP Oliver Letwin, who backs Mr Gove, emerged as one of the plan’s architects.
It came as Theresa May warned Brexiteers their no-deal plans are doomed.
In a Cabinet meeting, she said: “There were as many people, if not more, on the stop no-deal side as in the ERG [Brexiteer group] who wouldn’t support my deal.”
1. Would he take the UK out of the EU on October 31, come what may? He has won the support of hardline Brexiteer MPs by promising them he is prepared to leave with no deal. But behind the scenes, he’s been less hardline, telling moderate MPs his preference is still a negotiated exit.
2. Did the cocaine go up his nose? He has admitted he was given cocaine at university, but then said it was icing sugar and did not go up his nose. He later suggested it had, but it had no effect. Later still, he issued a denial.
3. How much money did he waste on vanity projects as Mayor of London? He spent £1billion of taxpayers’ cash on the projects, including £320million on a fleet of buses dubbed “saunas on wheels”, £43million on a Garden Bridge that was never built and £323,000 on water cannon later sold for scrap.
4. Would he hold a 2nd referendum? He has denied claims he would hold another Brexit referendum, but close allies suggest he would prefer a fresh public vote to a general election.
5. What would he do to get Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe home from Iran? He claimed she had been working in Iran, rather than on holiday, remarks seized on by the Iranians to boost their case the charity worker was a spy.
6. How will be rebuild relations with the rest of the world?
He may be a favourite of Donald Trump, but he has insulted Muslims, Sikhs the EU, Barack Obama, the Turkish President and black people.
7. Why is a £10billion tax giveaway for the rich the answer to the UK’s problems?
Even many Tories have criticised his tax cut for three million higher earners.
8. How can he be trusted with the country if he can’t be trusted in his private life?
He has had numerous extra-marital affairs, is going through his second divorce and had a love-child with another woman.
9. Are historic child sex-abuse investigations really a waste of money?
The leadership hopeful sparked fury by suggesting cash spent on such inquires by police had been “spaffed up a wall” – with critics claiming his remarks were insulting to survivors. Ministers set up the official inquiry after the Jimmy Savile revelations.
10. Can voters trust him to deliver on his promises?
After getting sacked from two jobs for lying, Mr Johnson then lost the trust of the country with his Brexit battle bus emblazoned with the false claim the UK sent £350million to the EU every week.