Unfortunately not, you need to chop it off just above the roots and let the stems and foliage die back when they will be easier to remove at the same time treat the root stumps with SBK.

I believe you can buy ivy killer, but I don't know what it's called - sorry.

I've never heard of that! the trouble with weedkillers is they run off the leaves. Pulling it up is quite fun when you get into it, and then you have to dig it out. It does come out in long trails and isn't as bad as it seems at first. But if it has a thick stem follow MG's advice.

I got a strong weed killer and sprayed the ivy with it - I got this from a friend -- and it works -- I didn't spray it with so much as it drips from the leaves just gave it a light spray in warm weather - the plant was dead within a week -- - I do not know the name of this weed killer but it is out there to get and kills ivy -- I have used it on normal weeds - just sprayed the leaves and they were dead within 24 hours

If you spray it every couple of days it will eventually die back. You could also try mixing some kind of thickener to help it cling to the leaves, something opposite to thixotropic.