Boris Johnson could still get a ‘no-deal’ Brexit through
Embattled British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s political team has been looking at ways to sabotage a new law that orders him to delay Brexit.
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Boris Johnson’s political team has been looking at ways to sabotage a new law that orders him to delay Brexit, ahead of a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar today.
A new law was due to be given Royal assent today that would force Mr Johnson to beg Brussels for an extension of Brexit until January 31.
The debate on the new law is likely to end up in court, as Mr Johnson moves to ignore or break the law, while rebel Conservative MPs will hire lawyers to ensure it is upheld.
The law even spells out the wording of the letter Mr Johnson would be required to send.
A Cabinet source said Mr Johnson could send the proscribed letter, as well as another letter, to sabotage the law.
“There is a prescribed letter that has to be sent … Does that stop the Prime Minister sending other documents to the EU? I don’t think it does,” the source told the UK’s Daily Telegraph, a newspaper for which Mr Johnson was a long-term paid columnist.
“A political explainer perhaps, as to where the Government’s policy is. It has to make clear that the Government is asking for an extension, but let’s not forget what the next step is.”
France has already flagged it may vote down any extension to Brexit, which has already been delayed from a March deadline.
Ireland would be one of the hardest hit economies if the UK left without a deal.
Mr Varadkar has played down any hope for a breakthrough in talks about the Irish border after Brexit, which has been a major sticking point in the negotiations.
Mr Johnson was due to head to Dublin on Monday morning local time for talks on the Irish backstop before flying back to Westminster to seek ask parliament for an early election, which he will lose.
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Mr Varadkar said: “I don’t expect any big breakthroughs but I do think it’s an opportunity for us to establish a relationship.”
Dominic Raab, the UK’s Foreign Secretary, said on Sky News the government will “test what it legally requires and what it doesn’t require and that’s the responsible thing to do.”
Mr Johnson had ruled that out that he would ask Brussels for more time, saying he would rather “be dead in a ditch”.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the country should not agree to an extension.
“The British say they want to come up with alternative solutions for withdrawal and No Deal, we have not seen them, so it’s ‘no’, we’re not going to do it every three months,” he told Europe 1.
Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit co-ordinator for the EU, tweeted: “Foreign Minister Le Drian is right: yet another extension for Brexit is unacceptable, unless the deadlock in London is broken. Let it be a 2nd ref., new elections, a revocation of art. 50 or the approval of the deal, but not today’s helpless status quo.”
The comments were a significant boost for Mr Johnson’s hard line plans after a horror week where he kicked out 21 members of his own party for voting against him.
He has also lost his brother Jo Johnson and Amber Rudd from the cabinet, who both criticised his handling of Brexit, as the establishment Tory party erupts in civil war.
Mr Johnson has lost his majority, down — 23 votes after the defections, meaning he cannot make changes in parliament without Labour’s support.
A Sunday Times poll put the Conservative Party ahead with 35 per cent of the vote, compared with Labour down to 21 per cent, while the Liberal Democrats moved up to 19 per cent.
The Brexit Party, led by Nigel Farage, was on 12 per cent but could split the Tory vote.
The UK works on a first past the post system, rather than preferences like the Australian system.
Mr Farage has repeatedly offered a deal to Mr Johnson to not run against his party in certain seats in exchange for a guaranteed no-deal Brexit.
Labour believes its chances will improve after Mr Johnson misses the October 31 deadline.
Meantime, Johnson’s money man has hinted the UK could still leave Europe without a deal, as France’s foreign minister says the EU should not grant an extension.
British parliament returns on Monday for another firecracker session where Mr Johnson was expected to ask for another chance at an election, which appears destined to fail.
The UK now has a law that demands Mr Johnson asks for an extension to the Brexit deadline to January 31.
Mr Johnson has ruled that out and would have to either break the law or resign to avoid begging to Brussels.
Sajid Javid, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the UK equivalent to Australia’s federal treasurer, told the BBC there may be another way.
“The government will not change its policy, and we will be consistent with obeying the law but also sticking to our policy and you’ll have to wait and see what happens,” he said.
French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drain said the country should not agree to an extension.
“The British say they want to come up with alternative solutions for withdrawal and No Deal, we have not seen them, so it’s ‘no’, we’re not going to do it every three months,” he told Europe 1.
The comments were a significant boost for Mr Johnson’s hard line plans after a horror week where he kicked out 21 members of his own party for voting against him.
He has also lost his brother Jo Johnson and Amber Rudd from the cabinet, who both criticised his handling of Brexit, as the establishment Tory party erupts in civil war.
Former Chancellor Philip Hammond, the ringleader behind the new law that will force Mr Johnson to beg for more time, hit out on Twitter following Ms Rudd’s resignation.
In a swipe at Mr Johnson’s firebrand adviser, Dominic Cummings, Mr Hammond wrote: “I’m afraid the Conservative Party has been taken over by unelected advisers, entryists and usurpers who are trying to turn it from a broad church into an extreme right wing faction.”
Labor appears intent on delaying an election to after the current October 31 deadline.
A Sunday Times poll put the Conservative Party ahead with 35 per cent of the vote, compared with Labour down to 21 per cent, while the Liberal Democrats moved up to 19 per cent.
The Brexit Party, led by Nigel Farage, was on 12 per cent but could split the Tory vote.
The UK works on a first past the post system, rather than preferences like the Australian system.
Mr Farage has repeatedly offered a deal to Mr Johnson to not run against his party in certain seats in exchange for a guaranteed no-deal Brexit.
Labour believes its chances will improve after Mr Johnson misses the October 31 deadline.
stephen.drill@news.co.uk
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