Johnson delights Eurosceptics with pledge to end Brussels law

Boris Johnson is preparing to trigger the end of European law’s supremacy in Britain.

Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson, left, with newest recruit, former Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, followed by former Labour frontbencher Chuka Umunna, who joined the party in June. Picture: AFP

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is preparing to trigger the end of ­European law’s supremacy in ­Britain as he cements his “do or die” pledge to leave the EU on ­October 31.

Within days Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay is expected to sign an order that will repeal the European Communities Act 1972 after October 31.

Senior Eurosceptics said the move would represent a “totemic” moment and put Mr Johnson’s pledge to leave with or without a deal “in black and white”.

Former prime minister Theresa May had infuriated them by failing to make the order before the March 29 Brexit deadline and eventually agreed with the EU to delay Brexit until October 31. She had opted to extend the deadline rather than activate the legislation.

Steve Baker, a Tory MP and deputy chairman of the European Research Group, said: “It is absolutely totemic. It shows a transformation in the approach, that Boris Johnson is willing to leave on a fixed date with no question of ­extension. It’s the do-or-die pledge in black and white.

“Once it’s signed that’s it, the UK is leaving. Theresa May did not bring the repeal of the Euro­pean Communities Act on a fixed date because she was always willing to extend.”

The House of Commons voted through the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, which repeals the European Communities Act of 1972, in September with a majority of 36 votes.

However, for the law to come into effect ministers have to sign a “commencement order”. Mr ­Barclay is expected to do that in coming days.

Former attorney-general ­Dominic Grieve, a Remainer Tory MP, said that MPs would be able to reverse the order to stop a no-deal Brexit. “It is Boris showing he is ­serious about his intention to leave the EU on October 31. At the end of the day it is a matter for the ­majority of the house,” he said.

Hardline Tory Remainer MPs suggested they could favour a Jeremy Corbyn premiership over a no-deal Brexit, boosting the ­Labour leader’s plan to lead a caretaker government.

Mr Corbyn wrote to other ­opposition parties and a group of Conservatives this week to say they must install him in No 10 to stop the UK crashing out of the EU on October 31.

Despite scepticism from the Liberal Democrats and hostility from some independents, the Tory MPs addressed by Mr Corbyn said they welcomed his approach and agreed to meet him.

The Conservatives written to by Mr Corbyn were Mr Grieve, and former ministers Oliver Letwin and Caroline Spelman, as well as Nick Boles, who left the Tories to become independent over Brexit.

Asked by talkRADIO whether he would have to consider “which of the two evils” of a Corbyn government and a no-deal Brexit he was “willing to stomach”, Mr Grieve replied: “I certainly think that is one of the considerations that one has to make.”

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “It’s absolutely extraordinary that any Conservative MP considered even for one minute installing Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street.”

Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson, whose party’s 14 MPs would be needed to make the fragile arithmetic required to sustain a caretaker government work, tried to reassure Remainers she was “happy and keen” to work with the Labour leader despite rejecting Mr Corbyn’s plan to halt a no-deal Brexit. The Tories have a one-seat majority in the 650-seat Commons with the support of the 10 Democrat Unionist Party MPs.

Ms Swinson had dismissed Mr Corbyn’s plan for a caretaker government as “nonsense”, and yesterday said it should be led by former Conservative chancellor Ken Clarke or Harriet Harman, the former Labour deputy leader.

Ms Swinson told Channel 4 she had spoken to Mr Clarke, 79, and Ms Harman, 69, about leading a cross-party government, and she believed that if the Commons asked them to serve briefly as prime minister “they would be up for that request”.

Anna Soubry, the leader of the Independent Group for Change whose five MPs would also be needed to force a change, said she had not been included in the letter from Mr Corbyn to the leaders and criticised the plan.

The Times