Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued a bizarre plea to opposition party leaders to kick him out of Downing Street by holding a vote of no confidence in his government.
He said that if Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was "scared" to act then other opposition parties such as the Liberal Democrats were welcome to have a go.
And Conservative sources revealed that MPs would not be told to vote in favour of the Government in any no-confidence motion. There would be a "tactical vote", sources said - suggesting Tories could be told to abstain.
However, Labour immediately responded by saying it would not call for a confidence vote. And it appeared other parties, such as the SNP, were also refusing the Prime Minister's offer.
Under House of Commons rules, only the main opposition party, Labour, is guaranteed to have the opportunity to hold a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister. Mr Johnson, however, promised smaller parties that the Government will ensure there is time for them to propose a "no confidence" motion in his government if they wish.
Losing a motion of no confidence would allow Mr Johnson to hold the general election that he wants. At the moment, no party has the support of a majority of MPs, making it impossible for Mr Johnson - or anyone else - to make decisions about Brexit. It's unclear whether the Government could win a vote on any other controversial issue that comes up either.
Mr Johnson asked Mr Corbyn: "Does he in his heart even want to be Prime Minister any more?"
He told MPs: "If in fact the party opposite does not have confidence in the government, they will have a chance to prove it.
"They have until the House rises today to table a motion of no confidence in the government, and we can have that vote tomorrow. Or if any of the other smaller parties fancy a go, they can table that motion. We'll give you time for that vote.
"Will they have the courage to act, or will they refuse to take responsibility and do nothing but dither and delay. Why wouldn't they? What are they scared of?"
He added: "I say it is time to Brexit done."
Mr Johnson said that Parliament right now was "gridlocked, paralysed" and refusing to deliver Brexit.
Labour is so far refusing to hold a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson, and instead appears to want to keep him in office until after October 31, the day that the UK is due to leave the EU. Mr Corbyn told Labour's conference in Brighton that there should be no election until after a "no-deal" Brexit has been ruled out.
The Labour leader told the House of Commons that Mr Johnson should resign. However, Labour ruled out holding a confidence vote that could force Mr Johnson out of Downing Street.
Mr Corbyn told the House of Commons: "I want a general election". But he said there should only be one if the govt asked the EU to delay Brexit beyond October 31, saying: "If he wants an election, get an extension and let's have an election"
A Downing Street spokesman said that if opposition parties declined to call a no-confidence vote then the Government would take that to mean it had a mandate to continue pursuing its policy of attempting to negotiate a Brexit deal while taking the UK out of the EU by October 31 whether a deal is agreed or not.
But they also said Mr Johnson will obey the law - which prohibits a no-deal Brexit on October 31. What is unclear is how both statements can be true, and what exactly Mr Johnson plans to do if no deal with the EU has been agreed by the end of October.
Earlier, the Government refused to apologise after the Supreme Court ruled that the suspension of Parliament was unlawful.
Tory frontbencher Earl Howe argued it would not be "appropriate" as he responded to calls at Westminster for the Conservative administration to show "remorse" following the humiliating legal defeat.
But the Deputy Lords Leader distanced himself from criticism of the judgment and said the Supreme Court had acted in an "exemplary way" and hailed the "independent judiciary".
It follows claims by Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg that the ruling amounted to a "constitutional coup".
Peers and MPs returned to Westminster on Wednesday after the Supreme Court ruled the decision by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to temporarily suspend Parliament for five weeks was unlawful.
