Losing the vote could mean a general election is triggered.

It comes after the opposition requested a similar confidence vote in both the government and the prime minister - which would have put many Tory MP in the difficult position of having to support Mr Johnson to support their own administration.

The government accused the opposition of "playing politics", claiming their motion was not "a valuable use of parliamentary time" because the PM has already resigned.

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Tory MPs are more likely to back the government's motion as it will not constitute an endorsement of Mr Johnson.

A government spokesperson said today: "Labour were given the option to table a straightforward vote of no confidence in the government in keeping with convention, however they chose not to.

"To remedy this we are tabling a motion which gives the house the opportunity to decide if it has confidence in the government.

"The government will always allow time for appropriate house matters while ensuring that it delivers parliamentary business to help improve people's everyday lives."

However, Labour claimed the motion that they tabled was in order and that they had precedent based on the 1965 vote of no confidence there was with Ted Heath and Harold Wilson.

Voting any other way would be 'brazen hypocrisy'

They said the government's decision to table its own no-confidence motion shows it was "concerned" it would lose the vote on the original one they proposed.

A Labour spokesman said: "If the government wants to table a different motion, that's obviously up to them.

"But what's clear is that the government was concerned it would lose the vote on the motion that we had put forward, otherwise why are they putting forward this alternative motion on Monday?

"We look forward to the dozens of Conservative MPs who have already expressed no confidence in Boris Johnson in writing to vote accordingly next week because to do anything else would be brazen hypocrisy."

Labour want Mr Johnson to step down immediately rather than stay in post until 5 September, when a new Conservative leader will be chosen.

'Deluded to the bitter end'

The government's motion was announced as Mr Johnson faced his first PMQs since he resigned as prime minister last week.

In a fiery exchange, Sir Keir Starmer said the PM can finally "throw off the shackles, say what he really thinks, and forget about following the rules".

He described Mr Johnson as "totally deluded to the bitter end" and told MPs: "I really am going to miss this weekly nonsense from him."

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The prime minister hit back with a sarcastic tribute to the opposition leader, saying he has "never come up with an idea".

Leaving with 'head held high'

He said: "It is possible this will be our last confrontation over this.

"So I want to thank him. I want to thank him for the style in which he's conducted himself.

"I think it would be fair to say he's been considerably less lethal than many other members of this House."

Mr Johnson said although he was not leaving at the time of his choosing, he would do so with his "head held high".

Next week's PMQs will be the last before the summer recess, meaning it will be Mr Johnson's last.

It has been confirmed that a new Tory leader will be in place when parliament resumes in September.

Sky News is hosting a live TV debate with the contenders vying to be the next leader of the Conservative Party and therefore prime minister, and you could be in the virtual audience.

The debate will take place on Monday 18 July hosted by Sky News presenter Kay Burley.

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