Boris Johnson : I'd rather be dead in ditch than delay Brexit

[MenInG]

The five-week suspension of Parliament will begin later, after MPs are expected to again reject government calls for a snap election.

Opposition MPs confirmed they would not back the push for a 15 October poll, insisting a law blocking a no-deal Brexit must be implemented first.

Ministers have called the law "lousy" and said they would "test to the limit" what it required of them.

Boris Johnson has been warned he could face legal action for flouting it.

At present, UK law states that the country will leave the EU on 31 October, regardless of whether a withdrawal deal has been agreed with Brussels or not.

But the new legislation, which was granted royal assent on Monday, changes that, and will force the PM to seek a delay to 31 January 2020 unless a deal - or a no-deal exit - is approved by MPs by 19 October.

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said although No 10 insisted it was not looking to break the new law, efforts were under way to examine ways of getting around it.

Meanwhile, John Bercow has said he will stand down as Commons Speaker and MP at the next election, or on 31 October, whichever comes first, after 10 years in the role.

Could a no-deal Brexit still happen on 31 October?
And ahead of the vote on an early general election, the prime minister suffered another defeat in the House of Commons.

MPs backed calls, by 311 votes to 302, for the publication of government communications relating to the suspension of Parliament and the release of all documents relating to Operation Yellowhammer, the government's no-deal contingency plan, shared with ministers since 23 July.

Former Conservative Dominic Grieve, the newly independent MP who tabled the motion, told MPs it was "entirely reasonable" to ask for the disclosure "so the House can understand the risks involved and this can be communicated more widely to the public".

Rule of law
But minister Michael Gove, who is in charge of no-deal preparations, said he had given evidence to the EU select committee on Yellowhammer and he hoped "those assurances were sufficient".

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, meanwhile, questioned the legal right of the government to require employees - including the PM's top aide Dominic Cummings - to open up their private email accounts and personal mobiles to scrutiny.

After the vote, a government spokesman said the extent of disclosure demanded was "unprecedented and disproportionate", adding that it would "consider the implications and respond in due course".

MPs also approved, without a formal vote, a motion from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn demanding the government abide by the rule of law.

He said the PM's unwillingness to state categorically that he would comply with the Brexit extension legislation was an "assault on the rule of law".

In response Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the government would always uphold the law but the legislation in question was "flawed" and the UK would continue to negotiate on the basis of leaving on 31 October.

The prorogation - or suspension - of Parliament until 14 October will begin at the end of Monday's sitting.

It means MPs will not get another chance to vote for an early election until after then, meaning a poll would not be possible until late November at the earliest.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49630094

 

[MenInG]

MPs have again rejected Boris Johnson's calls for a snap election, as the five-week suspension of Parliament begins.

In all, 293 MPs voted for the prime minister's motion for an early poll, far short of the number needed.

Earlier, opposition MPs confirmed they would not support an October poll, insisting a law blocking a no-deal Brexit must be implemented first.

Parliament was officially suspended - or prorogued - just before 02:00 BST on Tuesday and will reopen on 14 October.

A group of Labour backbenchers protested against the move, appearing to try to block Speaker John Bercow amid raucous scenes in the House of Commons.

Signs saying "silenced" were held up by the group in front of Mr Bercow - who earlier announced his resignation - just as he was due to lead MPs in a procession to the House of Lords to mark the suspension of Parliament.

At present, UK law states that the country will leave the EU on 31 October, regardless of whether a withdrawal deal has been agreed with Brussels or not.

But new legislation, which was granted royal assent on Monday, changes that, and will force the PM to seek a delay to 31 January 2020 unless a deal - or a no-deal exit - is approved by MPs by 19 October.

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said although No 10 insisted it was not looking to break the new law, efforts were under way to examine ways of getting around it.

The prime minister said the government would use the time Parliament was suspended to press on with negotiating a deal with the EU, while "preparing to leave without one".

"No matter how many devices this Parliament invents to tie my hands, I will strive to get an agreement in the national interest," he said.

"This government will not delay Brexit any further."

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But he was warned that ignoring the new law could prompt a legal challenge while ministers called it "lousy" and said they would "test to the limit" what it required of them.

Mr Johnson told MPs that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had previously said he would back an election if legislation to prevent the government from forcing through a no-deal Brexit on 31 October became law.

"By his own logic, he must now back an election."

But Mr Corbyn told MPs that Labour was "eager for an election - but as keen as we are, we are not prepared to risk inflicting the disaster of no-deal on our communities, our jobs, our services, or indeed our rights".

And he said the prime minister was suspending Parliament to avoid discussions of his plans.

Labour, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, the Independent Group for Change and Plaid Cymru met on Monday morning and agreed not to back the motion for an election.

The prime minister's self-imposed Halloween Brexit deadline looks further out of reach than a few short days ago.

Is it impossible? Absolutely not.

There is the possibility, still, of a deal, with Number 10 today stressing it was still their primary aim.

Whispers again about a Northern Ireland only backstop, and a bigger role for the Stormont assembly, if it ever gets up and running, are doing the rounds.

Some MPs and some diplomats are more cheerful tonight about the possibilities of it working out.

If you squint, you can see the chance of an agreement being wrapped up at pace, although it seems the chances range somewhere between slim and negligible.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politic...at-apps.in-app-msg.whatsapp.trial.link1_.auin

 

[MenInG]

Parliament has officially been suspended for five weeks, with MPs not due back until 14 October.

Amid unprecedented scenes in the Commons, some MPs protested against the suspension with signs saying "silenced" while shouting: "Shame on you."

It comes after PM Boris Johnson's bid to call a snap election in October was defeated for a second time.

Opposition MPs refused to back it, insisting a law blocking a no-deal Brexit must be implemented first.

In all, 293 MPs voted for the prime minister's motion for an early election, far short of the two thirds needed.

Mr Johnson will be holding a meeting with his cabinet in Downing Street later this morning.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49645338

 

[Abdullah719]

Judges rule Parliament suspension is unlawful

Boris Johnson’s suspension of the UK Parliament is unlawful, Scotland’s highest civil court has ruled.

A panel of three judges at the Court of Session found in favour of a cross-party group of politicians who were challenging the prime minister's move.

The decision overturns an earlier ruling from the court, which said last week Mr Johnson had not broken the law.

But it will not immediately affect the current suspension of Parliament, which started in the early hours of Tuesday.

This is because no order has been given by the court to cancel the suspension ahead of a full hearing at the Supreme Court which starts on Tuesday of next week.

In a summary of their findings, the Court of Session judges said they were unanimous in their belief that Mr Johnson's decision to suspend was motivated by the "improper purpose of stymying Parliament".

They added: "The Court will accordingly make an Order declaring that the Prime Minister's advice to HM the Queen and the prorogation which followed thereon was unlawful and is thus null and of no effect."

Their full judgment will be released on Friday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-49661855

 

[Bosanquet]

Boris dead & Brexit ditched? Sounds like a WIN - WIN to me.

 

[Zeeraq]

Johnson denies lying to Queen over Parliament suspension

Boris Johnson has denied lying to the Queen over the advice he gave her over the five-week suspension of Parliament.

The prime minister was speaking after Scotland's highest civil court ruled on Wednesday the shutdown was unlawful.

Asked whether he had lied to the monarch about his reasons for the suspension, he replied: "Absolutely not."

He added: "The High Court in England plainly agrees with us, but the Supreme Court will have to decide."

The power to suspend - or prorogue - Parliament lies with the Queen, who conventionally acts on the advice of the prime minister.

Labour has said it is "more important than ever" that Parliament is recalled after the government published its no-deal Brexit assessment.

The Yellowhammer document - published on Wednesday after MPs forced its release - warned of food and fuel shortages in a no-deal scenario.

But Mr Johnson insisted the UK "will be ready" to leave the EU by the current 31 October deadline without an agreement "if we have to".

"What you're looking at here is just the sensible preparations - the worst-case scenario - that you'd expect any government to do," he said.

"In reality we will certainly be ready for a no-deal Brexit if we have to do it and I stress again that's not where we intend to end up."

The current five-week suspension of Parliament started in the early hours of Tuesday, and MPs are not scheduled to return until 14 October.

In a unanimous ruling, the Court of Session said Mr Johnson's decision to order the suspension was motivated by the "improper purpose of stymieing Parliament".

Mr Johnson has suggested it was "nonsense" to suggest the move was an attempt to undermine democracy, insisting it is normal practice for a new PM.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49674516

 

[imrankhannsu]

I know which option I would prefer for Boris out of the two

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: UK Supreme Court rules Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament was unlawful <a href="https://t.co/QszITgMPuC">pic.twitter.com/QszITgMPuC</a></p>— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1176431935452798978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MenInG]

Supreme Court: Suspending Parliament was unlawful, judges rule

Boris Johnson's decision to suspend Parliament was unlawful, the Supreme Court has ruled.

Mr Johnson suspended - or prorogued - Parliament for five weeks earlier this month, but the court said it was wrong to stop MPs carrying out duties in the run-up to Brexit on 31 October.

Commons Speaker John Bercow confirmed MPs would now return on Wednesday.

Supreme Court president Lady Hale said "the effect on the fundamentals of democracy was extreme."

A raft of MPs have now called for the prime minister to resign - Downing Street said it was "currently processing the verdict".

Mr Johnson argued he wanted to carry out the prorogation ahead of a Queen's Speech so he could outline his government's new policies.

But critics said he was trying to stop MPs from scrutinising his Brexit plans and the suspension was far longer than necessary for a Queen's Speech.

Delivering its conclusions, the Supreme Court's president, Lady Hale, said: "The decision to advise Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament was unlawful because it had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions without reasonable justification."

Lady Hale said the unanimous decision of the 11 justices meant Parliament had effectively not been prorogued - the decision was null and of no effect.

Mr Bercow said MPs needed to return "in light of the explicit judgement", and he had "instructed the House of Commons authorities to prepare... for the resumption of business" from 11:30 BST on Wednesday.

He said prime minister's questions - which normally takes place on a Wednesday - would not go ahead, though, because Mr Johnson was in New York for a UN summit.

However, Mr Bercow said there would be "full scope" for urgent questions, ministerial statements and applications for emergency debates.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the ruling showed Mr Johnson's "contempt for democracy", adding: "I invite Boris Johnson, in the historic words, to consider his position."

Mr Corbyn was due to close the Labour Party conference in Brighton with a speech on Wednesday, but has brought it forward to Tuesday afternoon so he can return to Parliament.

Lawyers for the government had argued the decision to prorogue was one for Parliament, not the courts.

But the justices disagreed, unanimously deciding it was "justiciable", and there was "no doubt that the courts have jurisdiction to decide upon the existence and limits of a prerogative power".

The court also criticised the length of the suspension, with Lady Hale saying it was "impossible for us to conclude, on the evidence which has been put before us, that there was any reason - let alone a good reason - to advise Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament for five weeks".

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49810261

 

[Bosanquet]

Looks like "dead in a ditch" wins!!
Wonderful.
My faith in our judicial system, which has been fraying of late - is now restored by this truly epoch - making ruling.
Thank you Lady Hale and 10 others.

 

[MenInG]

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: UK PM Boris Johnson says he disagrees with the supreme court ruling. <a href="https://t.co/0SgJ7w2f0D">https://t.co/0SgJ7w2f0D</a></p>— Al Jazeera News (@AJENews) <a href="https://twitter.com/AJENews/status/1176470767724351488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Markhor]

Unanimous decision, all 11 judges voted against Boris.

In normal times it would be cause for the PM to resign for an illegal and unconstitutional attempt to shut down democratic debate.

 

[Bosanquet]

Unanimous decision, all 11 judges voted against Boris.

In normal times it would be cause for the PM to resign for an illegal and unconstitutional attempt to shut down democratic debate.

I wonder if he will return to face PMQs tomorrow.
And his mate in the White House is facing severe scrutiny over the Biden-Ukraine affair. Let's hope that impeachment follows.
Unfortunately, the religious fundamentalist at the helm of the BJP appears to be going from strength to strength - inspite of the declining state of the Indian economy.

 

[Robert]

So now the Benn Act stands and he has to ask for an extension.

 

[Halaribo]

Hope someone has the ditch ready

 

[MenInG]

MPs and peers will return to Parliament later after the Supreme Court ruled that its suspension was unlawful.

Boris Johnson, who is flying back early from a UN summit in New York, faces calls to resign from opposition groups.

The PM has said he "profoundly disagreed" with Tuesday's landmark ruling but he would respect it.

There would be no Prime Ministers' Questions but urgent questions and ministerial statements would be heard, Commons Speaker John Bercow said.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, said the government would outline its approach to the ruling in the Commons later, through the Leader of the Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Following Tuesday's unanimous ruling, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn brought forward his party conference speech so he could return to Westminster on Wednesday.

He told delegates in Brighton that Mr Johnson had "acted illegally when he tried to shut down opposition" and "this unelected prime minister should now resign".

On Tuesday, the court ruled it was impossible to conclude there had been any reason - "let alone a good reason" - to advise the Queen to prorogue Parliament for five weeks in the run-up to the Brexit deadline of 31 October.

Mr Johnson, who was attending the UN General Assembly in New York, spoke to the Queen after the ruling, a senior government official said, although no details of the conversation have been revealed.

The prime minister also chaired a 30-minute phone call with his cabinet.

A source told the BBC Mr Rees-Mogg told cabinet ministers on the call that the action by the court had amounted to a "constitutional coup".

What will the PM do now?
"He has completely lost control of the process."

That's how one of the prime minister's cabinet colleagues summed up Boris Johnson's position as he flies back to face Parliament.

Mr Johnson's likely to end up at the despatch box on Wednesday, where he will have the rulings of the Supreme Court brandished at him.

The opposition parties calling on him to quit. A flurry of urgent demands for the government to answer questions about its plans for Brexit. And all that before the profound embarrassment of having been found to have broken the law.

Downing Street at this stage seems to have no intention of doing anything other than toughing this out.

Speaking after the ruling, Mr Johnson insisted the suspension of Parliament had been necessary in order for him to bring forward a Queen's Speech on 14 October outlining his government's policies.

But critics said he was trying to stop MPs scrutinising his Brexit plans and the suspension was far longer than necessary.

Earlier, the prime minister said he "refused to be deterred" from getting on with "an exciting and dynamic domestic agenda" and to do that he would need a Queen's Speech.

The court ruling does not prevent him from proroguing again in order to hold one, as long as it does not stop Parliament carrying out its duties "without reasonable justification".

A No 10 source said the Supreme Court had "made a serious mistake in extending its reach to these political matters" and had "made it clear that its reasons [were] connected to the Parliamentary disputes over, and timetable for" Brexit.

But Supreme Court president Lady Hale emphasised in the ruling that the case was "not about when and on what terms" the UK left the EU - it was about the decision to suspend Parliament.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Gove said he "appreciated the gravity" of the decision by the Supreme Court, but he disagreed with their position.

He said: "It is only fair to point out that there is a very respectable set of legal opinions that have pointed out, according to the understanding of the law - until now - what the government did was entirely lawful.

"Now, of course, the Supreme Court has taken a different view and I think it is all important we reflect on that judgement and its consequences."

Pushed on whether the government would apologise, Mr Gove said they should not say sorry for "having a strong domestic agenda" and seeking a Queen's Speech.

Instead, he reiterated calls for Parliament to agree to hold a general election and "let the people decide".

Media captionThe Supreme Court declared "Parliament has not been prorogued"
Speaking to a crowd of cheering Labour party conference delegates after the Supreme Court's ruling, Mr Corbyn said: "The government will be held to account for what it has done. Boris Johnson has been found to have misled the country. This unelected prime minister should now resign."

The calls for Mr Johnson to resign were echoed by Scotland's First Minister, the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon, Wales' First Minister, Labour's Mark Drakeford, and Sinn Fein's vice-president, Michelle O'Neill.

Downing Street has insisted there is no question of him standing aside.

And Mr Johnson was backed by US President Donald Trump at a joint press conference at the UN summit.

"I'll tell you, I know him well, he's not going anywhere," said Mr Trump, after a US reporter quizzed the prime minister on whether he was going to resign.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49820038

 

[Abdullah719]

Parliament: Government 'acted in good faith' over suspension, says Cox

Spoiler

The government acted in "good faith" when it suspended Parliament, according to its chief legal adviser.

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox told MPs he was "disappointed" at the landmark ruling by the Supreme Court that the suspension was unlawful, but respected the judgement.

He then launched a blistering attack on MPs for being "too cowardly" to hold an election, calling them a "disgrace".

MPs returned to work on Wednesday morning as a result of the ruling.

The SNP's Joanna Cherry urged Mr Cox to publish the legal advice he gave the government ahead of the suspension.

Ms Cherry - who was one of the lawyers who led the court challenge against the suspension or "prorogation" - said Mr Cox was being "offered up as a fall guy for the government's plans".

The attorney general said the government believed its approach had been "both lawful and constitutional", but he would "consider over the coming days whether the public interest may require a greater disclosure" of his advice.

Boris Johnson, who has flown back from a UN summit in New York to address MPs, has said he "profoundly disagrees" with the decision of the Supreme Court, but he would respect it.

He is due to give a statement to the Commons later, along with one from the Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Opposition parties are demanding that the prime minister resign.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the court's decision had left Mr Johnson "badly wanting", while the SNP said the country now had "a zombie prime minister and a zombie government" and both must be removed "in a timely manner".

The prime minister could be removed via a vote of no confidence - potentially triggering a general election - but Mr Corbyn said he would not seek one until it was "very clear" Mr Johnson would seek an extension to Brexit to prevent no deal and the EU had agreed to it.

Mr Johnson has said Brexit will happen with or without a deal on 31 October.

But MPs passed a law - the so-called Benn bill - to force him to ask for an extension from the EU if a deal - or approval for no deal - was not voted for by the Commons by 19 October.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49826524

 

[MenInG]

MPs have engaged in angry exchanges over the government's unlawful decision to suspend Parliament.

They returned to work after the Supreme Court's historic ruling.

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said he respected the decision, but launched a blistering attack on MPs for being "too cowardly" to hold an election, adding: "This Parliament is dead."

Mr Cox was branded a "disgrace" by one MP, while another said he was "horrified" at his language.

The SNP's Joanna Cherry urged Mr Cox to publish the legal advice he gave the government ahead of the suspension.

Ms Cherry - who was one of the lawyers who led the court challenge against the suspension or "prorogation" - said Mr Cox was being "offered up as a fall guy for the government's plans".

The attorney general said the government believed its approach had been "both lawful and constitutional" and they had acted in "good faith" when suspending Parliament.

But Mr Cox said he would "consider over the coming days whether the public interest may require a greater disclosure" of his advice.

Boris Johnson, who has flown back from a UN summit in New York to address MPs, has said he "profoundly disagrees" with the decision of the Supreme Court, but he would respect it.

He is due to give a statement to the Commons about 18:30 BST, along with one from the Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg.

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the PM would no doubt face a torrent of vitriol from MPs over the prorogation, but was likely to come out fighting, just like his attorney general.

Opposition parties, meanwhile, are demanding that the prime minister resign.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the court's decision had left Mr Johnson "badly wanting", while the SNP said the country now had "a zombie prime minister and a zombie government" and both must be removed "in a timely manner".

The prime minister could be ousted via a vote of no confidence - potentially triggering a general election - but Mr Corbyn said he would not seek one until it was "very clear" Mr Johnson would seek an extension to Brexit to prevent no deal and the EU had agreed to it.

Mr Johnson has said Brexit will happen with or without a deal on 31 October.

But MPs passed a law - the so-called Benn bill - to force him to ask for an extension from the EU if a deal - or approval for no deal - was not voted for by the Commons by 19 October.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49826524

 

[MenInG]

A No 10 source says a Brexit deal is "essentially impossible" after a call between the PM and Angela Merkel.

Boris Johnson spoke to the German chancellor earlier about the proposals he put forward to the EU - but the source said she made clear a deal based on them was "overwhelmingly unlikely".

They also claimed she said a deal would never be possible unless Northern Ireland stayed in a customs union.

Mrs Merkel's spokesman said they did not reveal confidential conversations.

The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, sent a public tweet to Mr Johnson, writing: "What's at stake is not winning some stupid blame game. At stake is the future of Europe and the UK as well as the security and interests of our people."

Scotland's First Minister and leader of the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon, said Downing Street's response to the phone call was an "attempt to shift the blame for the Brexit fiasco", while Labour called it a "cynical attempt to sabotage the negotiations".

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson "will never take responsibility for his own failure to put forward a credible deal", and called on Parliament to "unite prevent this reckless government crashing us out of the EU".

An EU official close to the negotiations told BBC Brussels correspondent Adam Fleming Mrs Merkel's reported comments did not reflect the EU's agreed position, adding: "This is not our language."

The PM has insisted the UK will leave the EU on the Brexit deadline of 31 October, with or without a deal.

That is despite legislation passed by MPs last month, known as the Benn Act, which requires Mr Johnson to write to the EU requesting a further delay if no deal is signed off by Parliament by 19 October - unless MPs agree to a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Johnson sent new proposals for a deal to Brussels last week, with the key focus being on replacing the so-called backstop - the policy negotiated by Theresa May and the EU to prevent a hard border returning to the island of Ireland - which has long been a sticking point.

After presenting the new proposals to Brussels, government sources hoped the UK might be able to enter an intense 10-day period of negotiations almost immediately, with the aim of coming to a final agreement at an EU summit on 17 October.

The EU pledged to examine them carefully, but a number of senior figures, including Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, warned the proposals did not form the basis for deeper negotiations - even if they believed a deal could still be done.

French President Emanuel Macron said the EU would decide at the end of the week whether a new deal was possible.

But after the phone call on Tuesday morning, the No 10 source said it had been a "clarifying moment", adding: "Talks in Brussels are close to breaking down, despite the fact that the UK has moved a long way."

Under Mr Johnson's proposals, which he calls a "broad landing zone" for a new deal with the EU:

Northern Ireland would leave the EU's customs union alongside the rest of the UK, at the start of 2021
But Northern Ireland would continue to apply EU legislation relating to agricultural and other products, if the Northern Ireland Assembly approves
This arrangement could, in theory, continue indefinitely, but the consent of Northern Ireland's politicians would have to be sought every four years
Customs checks on goods traded between the UK and EU would be "decentralised", with paperwork submitted electronically and only a "very small number" of physical checks
These checks should take place away from the border itself, at business premises or at "other points in the supply chain"
The source said the UK was not willing to move away from the principle of providing a consent mechanism for Northern Ireland or the plan for leaving the customs union, and if the EU did not accept those principles, "that will be that" and the plan moving forward would be an "obstructive" strategy towards Brussels.

They also accused the EU of being "willing to torpedo the Good Friday agreement" - the peace process agreed in Northern Ireland in the 1990s - by refusing to accept Mr Johnson's proposals, arguing the plan is key to respecting the so-called "principle of consent".

But Mr Varadkar has warned the Johnson plan could actually undermine that principle by giving one party in Northern Ireland a veto over what happens to the country as a whole.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49970267

 

[sweep_shot]

Boris Johnson has said he can see "a way forward" to reaching a deal with the EU in "all our interests" before Brexit is due to happen on 31 October.

But the prime minister warned the cabinet there was still a "significant amount of work" to do, as EU and UK officials continue to hold talks.

Parliament will meet on Saturday and vote on any deal achieved by Mr Johnson at a Brussels summit this week.

Labour said it would "wait and see" but would oppose anything "damaging".

The European Commission echoed the prime minister, saying: "A lot of work remains to be done."

Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "We don't think the Tories have moved too far on their deal."

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon told the same programme: "We will not vote for the kind of deal specified by Boris Johnson."

Talks in Brussels between UK and EU officials - described as "intense technical discussions" - continued on Sunday and will re-start on Monday.

House of Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, a leading Brexiteer, told Sky News that "compromise" would be inevitable during negotiations.

He added: "I trust Boris Johnson to ensure the relationship the United Kingdom has with the European Union is one where we are not a vassal state."

Mr Rees-Mogg also said he might have to "eat my words" and support a plan close to the one put forward by former Prime Minister Theresa May, which MPs rejected three times.

Talks in Brussels between UK and EU officials - described as "intense technical discussions" - continued on Sunday and will re-start on Monday.

House of Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, a leading Brexiteer, told Sky News that "compromise" would be inevitable during negotiations.

He added: "I trust Boris Johnson to ensure the relationship the United Kingdom has with the European Union is one where we are not a vassal state."

Mr Rees-Mogg also said he might have to "eat my words" and support a plan close to the one put forward by former Prime Minister Theresa May, which MPs rejected three times.

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson told Sky News that any agreement reached by Mr Johnson should "be put to the public so they can have the final say".

But asked whether more MPs would be likely to support a deal, if the Commons first voted in favour of putting it to a referendum, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "I think many in Parliament, not necessarily Labour MPs - others - might be inclined to support it because they don't really agree with the deal.

"I would caution them on this."

Asked about Labour's stance, Home Secretary Priti Patel replied: "They are clearly playing politics. The British public want to ensure that we get Brexit done."

Mr Johnson's revised proposals - designed to avoid concerns about the backstop - were criticised by EU leaders at the start of last week.

However, on Thursday, Mr Johnson and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar held talks and said they could "see a pathway to a possible deal".

The Benn Act, passed by Parliament last month, requires Mr Johnson to ask EU leaders for a delay to Brexit if a deal has not been reached and agreed to by MPs by 19 October.

The first Queen's Speech of Mr Johnson's premiership, delivered during the State Opening of Parliament on Monday, will see the government highlight its priorities, including on Brexit.

Timeline: What's happening ahead of Brexit deadline?
Monday 14 October - The Commons is due to return, and the government will use the Queen's Speech to set out its legislative agenda. The speech will then be debated by MPs throughout the week.

Thursday 17 October - Crucial two-day summit of EU leaders begins in Brussels. This is the last such meeting currently scheduled before the Brexit deadline.

Saturday 19 October - Special sitting of Parliament and the date by which the PM must ask the EU for another delay to Brexit under the Benn Act, if no Brexit deal has been approved by Parliament and they have not agreed to the UK leaving with no-deal.

Thursday 31 October - Date by which the UK is due to leave the EU, with or without a withdrawal agreement.

Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-50032500.

 

[sweep_shot]

EU ministers meeting in Luxembourg are to receive an update on Brexit talks from the bloc's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, later.

Discussions between EU and UK officials aimed at reaching a Brexit deal have intensified in recent days.

Hopes of a deal being agreed before the 31 October Brexit deadline were boosted after a meeting between Boris Johnson and his Irish counterpart last week.

But Mr Barnier this week said "big gaps" remained between the UK and EU.

'Final hours'
Finland's prime minister, Antti Rinne, who holds the EU's rotating presidency, went further, saying there was not enough time for a deal to be reached.

After meeting the European Council's president-elect Charles Michel, Mr Rinne said: "I think there is no time in a practical or legal way to find an agreement before the EU Council meeting. We need more time."

In response, housing secretary Robert Jenrick rejected the remarks, stressing a "great deal" of progress had been made and negotiators are working "very intensively".

He told BBC's Newsnight: "The EU is capable of moving extremely quickly if they wish to.

"Like any negotiation with the EU, and in fact with any major negotiation in life, everything happens at the last minute.

"This was always going to be both complicated and come down to the final hours and days, so this doesn't surprise me. We are going to work round the clock to try to secure it."

The comments came as negotiators stepped up efforts to work out a way to break the deadlock over the Irish backstop, the contingency measure to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland that is seen as the key factor in the talks.

On Monday, Irish deputy premier Simon Coveney raised hopes on an agreement being reached before the EU summit by saying a deal could possibly be achieved as soon as this week.

"But we're not there yet," he added.

In similar comments, Mr Johnson told senior ministers there was "still a significant amount of work to get there" but a "pathway" to a deal was still visible.

With talks in Brussels ongoing, a Cabinet meeting expected to take place on Tuesday has been postponed and is now likely to take place on Wednesday. Downing Street sources say it is to allow for a fuller update on Brexit.

It's extremely hard to see how a new Brexit deal can still be agreed by this Thursday.

Negotiations continue - but time is tight, and, to use the words of even the most upbeat of those involved, "there's still much work to do".

EU internal talk is focusing now on a possible "holding pattern statement" at this week's EU leaders summit, along the lines of "we've made great progress in negotiations but still need more time".

There are also renewed mutterings about a new Brexit summit, maybe towards the end of the month.

The two-day EU summit is crucial because the prime minister must get a new deal approved by MPs by Saturday if he is to avoid asking for a Brexit delay.

The Benn Act passed by MPs opposed to no-deal says he must ask for an extension to the Brexit deadline if MPs do not back a deal by then.

However, Mr Johnson has repeatedly ruled out requesting such an extension, prompting speculation that he may seek to sidestep the legislation.

Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg suggested it could be possible for the government to use European law to achieve no-deal.

"Theresa May got an extension not through UK law but through EU law and, until the 1972 European Communities Act is repealed, EU law is superior law in the UK," he said on BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour.

Labour has threatened court action to force the PM to obey the legislation.

Regardless of what happens in Brussels, a showdown is anticipated in an emergency sitting of Parliament on Saturday - the first in 37 years.

MPs will be able to back or reject any deal presented to them, or there will be discussions on what to do next.

Timeline: What's happening ahead of Brexit deadline?
Thursday 17 October - Crucial two-day summit of EU leaders begins in Brussels. This is the last such meeting currently scheduled before the Brexit deadline.

Saturday 19 October - Special sitting of Parliament and the date by which the PM must ask the EU for another delay to Brexit under the Benn Act, if no Brexit deal has been approved by MPs and they have not agreed to the UK leaving with no-deal.

Thursday 31 October - Date by which the UK is currently due to leave the EU.

Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-50044873.

 

[James]

The Telegraph is reporting that yesterday’s negotiations went well and a deal is genuinely taking shape now.

This withdrawal agreement just needs to get sorted and signed off before the end of the month, otherwise this nonsense will go on forever, and any extension perpetuates the risk of a “no deal” exit which would be a total mess.

 

[IMMY69]

The Telegraph is reporting that yesterday’s negotiations went well and a deal is genuinely taking shape now.

This withdrawal agreement just needs to get sorted and signed off before the end of the month, otherwise this nonsense will go on forever, and any extension perpetuates the risk of a “no deal” exit which would be a total mess.

will any deal get through Parliament?

 

[Technics 1210]

Trick or treat is going to be so much fun this year!

 

[Markhor]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/8790ccc8-ed2e-11e9-9861-f093f6623161

Loyalists plot action if Boris ‘shafts’ north

Loyalist paramilitary organisations and their supporters are predicting protests and campaigns of civil disobedience if the British government attempts to align Northern Ireland and the Republic in any customs arrangement as part of a Brexit compromise.

Sources within the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) in east Belfast say it is planning to organise demonstrations and protests using proxies if Boris Johnson’s government does anything which its members believe dilutes the status of Northern Ireland within the UK.

The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) in west Belfast is adopting a “wait and see” approach until the specifics of any Brexit deal are announced, according to sources close to the group’s thinking, but is making contingency plans.

London, Dublin and Brussels are currently in negotiations to avoid the UK crashing out of the EU on October 31. It is thought that a new deal, the details of which have yet to be revealed, may involve goods entering Northern Ireland facing customs and regulatory checks on the Irish Sea, but being able to move freely across the border. If agreed, this plan would let UK and EU officials collect tariffs at ports in Northern Ireland on behalf of Brussels.

Such a plan would anger many loyalists, who would regard it as a form of economic alignment with Dublin, and a possible precursor to a united Ireland.

One UDA figure said yesterday: “Boris Johnson has shafted the loyalist people of Northern Ireland. The Democratic Unionist Party [DUP] are not the only people Boris should be consulting.”

Separately, Robert Girvan, a prominent loyalist from Belfast, said protests would definitely be staged if such an agreement were reached between the EU and the UK, and that the threat of these becoming violent was very real.

“I can’t see loyalism of any strand just walking into a situation where there is any type of economic union with the Irish Republic,” he said. “I was talking to someone who said we’ll see how hard the border is if bombs start going off in Limerick.”

He added that loyalist paramilitary groups such as the UVF had been formed to protect Northern Ireland’s position in the Union. “If that place is threatened, the organisations will step up to the mark,” he said.

If this new Brexit deal passes, it looks like the "boys" will be back in town.

 

[sweep_shot]

Boris Johnson will attempt to persuade MPs to back his Brexit deal later ahead of what is expected to be a knife-edge vote in the Commons on Saturday.

Mr Johnson has insisted he is "very confident" MPs will back his deal.

But the DUP's opposition to his plans means he faces a battle to get the agreement through Parliament.

The PM is expected to focus his attention on Labour MPs in Leave-voting areas, a group of Tory Brexiteers, and rebels he expelled from his party.

Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly said conversations with the Democratic Unionist Party would also continue, despite their insistence they would oppose the deal.

Saturday's showdown in the Commons is the prime minister's last chance to get Parliament to approve a deal before the Brexit deadline of 31 October.

If MPs reject his plans, legislation passed by MPs says he must ask the EU for an extension until 31 January 2020 - something he has repeatedly insisted he would not do.

The BBC's political editor, Laura Kuenssberg, said she understood the government would try to sidestep a delay and push for a general election if it was defeated on Saturday.

The revised Brexit agreement between the UK and the EU was announced at a summit of European leaders on Thursday.

Hailing the "excellent deal", the prime minister urged MPs to "come together" to vote for his plans and "get Brexit done".

But the DUP - whose support was seen as highly important for getting a deal through Parliament - said it would oppose the plans over concessions made by the UK to the EU on customs checks at points of entry into Northern Ireland, among other issues.

Opposition parties also confirmed they would reject the deal and instruct their MPs to vote against it.

As a result, the prime minister is expected to focus his attention on three groups:

Tory Brexiteers who have not yet backed a deal and repeatedly voted against former PM Theresa May's withdrawal agreement
Twenty-three former Tory MPs who now sit as independents, including 21 Mr Johnson kicked out of the party last month after they rebelled against him in a bid to prevent a no-deal Brexit
And a group of Labour MPs who have expressed a desire to back a deal but are concerned about protection for workers and the environment
One of these MPs, Ronnie Campbell, told the BBC's Newsnight he was minded to back the deal.

"I think this country's just fed up with the way Parliament's run this for the last three years," said the Labour veteran, who is standing down at the next election.

BBC political correspondent Nick Eardley said he understood Labour MPs who rebelled by backing Mr Johnson would not lose the whip, that is, be effectively expelled from the party.

On Thursday, Mr Johnson struck an upbeat tone about the chances of MPs backing his deal, saying: "I am very confident that when my colleagues in Parliament study this agreement that they will want to vote for it on Saturday and in succeeding days."

Speaking about the arithmetic of getting the deal through Parliament, Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly told the BBC: "If everybody sticks to their word and votes the way they said they would if a deal was presented then we'll have the numbers to get through."

The new deal is largely the same as the one agreed by Theresa May last year - but it removes the controversial backstop clause, which critics say could have kept the UK tied indefinitely to EU customs rules.

Northern Ireland would now remain in the UK's customs union, but there would also be customs checks on some goods passing through en route to Ireland and the EU single market.

The DUP's deputy leader, Nigel Dodds, accused the prime minister of being "too eager by far to get a deal at any cost".

He predicted a "massive vote" against the deal on Saturday, adding that the DUP expected to "play a crucial role" in amending the legislation.

Can Boris Johnson win the vote?
The winning post for votes in the House of Commons is 320 if everyone turns up - seven Sinn Fein MPs do not sit and the Speaker and three deputies do not vote.

There are currently 287 voting Conservative MPs. The prime minister needs to limit any rebellion among them.

Then, if the DUP will not support his deal, he will need the backing of 23 former Conservative MPs who are currently independents. Most will probably support the deal, but not all.

That is still not quite enough, though, so the PM will also need the backing of some Labour MPs and ex-Labour independents. In March, when MPs voted on Theresa May's deal for the third time, five Labour MPs backed it, plus two ex-Labour independents.

This time it is likely to be a bit higher than that because several MPs have said they would now back a deal.

All this still leaves the vote very close. And it is possible some MPs could abstain, making it even harder to predict the outcome.

Meanwhile, Scotland's highest civil court, the Court of Session, is set to consider a legal bid to block Mr Johnson's deal.

Anti-Brexit campaigners believe the deal contravenes existing legislation preventing Northern Ireland forming part of a separate customs territory to the rest of the UK.

Elsewhere, the SNP has tabled an amendment to Mr Johnson's deal demanding an immediate extension to the 31 October deadline and a general election.

The SNP's parliamentary leader, Ian Blackford, said opposition parties need to "quit dithering, back our amendment, and finally act to bring this appalling Tory government down and stop Brexit".

And former Prime Minister David Cameron has said he would have backed the deal if he was still an MP.

"I hope he'll get it through Parliament. I suspect he will but it will be tight."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-50092301.

 

[sweep_shot]

Boris Johnson has urged MPs to "come together" to back the Brexit deal he has secured with the EU, insisting there is "no better outcome".

The prime minister told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg he wanted the country to "move on" from Brexit, which he described as "divisive".

And he said he was hopeful the deal would pass the Commons on Saturday.

The government's former allies in the DUP and every opposition party plans to vote against it.

The new deal, agreed by Mr Johnson and the EU on Thursday, is similar to the one agreed by Theresa May last year - but it removes the controversial backstop clause, which critics say could have kept the UK tied indefinitely to EU customs rules.

Northern Ireland would remain in the UK's customs union under the new agreement, but there would also be customs checks on some goods passing through en route to Ireland and the EU single market.

Mr Johnson and his team are trying to persuade enough Labour rebels, former Conservatives and Brexiteer Tory rebels to get it across the line in Parliament.

He told the BBC's political editor: "I just kind of invite everybody to imagine what it could be like tomorrow (Saturday) evening, if we have settled this, and we have respected the will of the people, because we will then have a chance to to move on.

"I hope that people will think well, you know, what's the balance, what do our constituents really want?

"Do they want us to keep going with this argument, do they want more division and delay? Look, you know, this has been a long exhausting and quite divisive business Brexit."

He repeated his commitment to leave the EU on 31 October, adding: "There's no better outcome than the one I'm advocating tomorrow."

Mr Johnson has repeatedly said Brexit will happen by the end of the month with or without a deal.

But MPs passed a law in September, known as the Benn Act, which requires the PM to send a letter to the EU asking for an extension until January 2020 if a deal is not agreed - or if MPs do not back a no-deal Brexit.

Former Tory Sir Oliver Letwin - who was kicked out of the party for backing the law - has put an amendment down to ensure the extension is asked for even if MPs back the deal in the Commons on Saturday.

He said the government could still leave without a deal on 31 October if the PM's proposals had not passed every stage in Parliament to become law - so the motion would withhold MPs' approval until that final hurdle is passed.

Meanwhile, responding to the deal, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said taking no deal off the table was a "net economic positive".

It really is extremely tight. It would be foolish to make a guess on which way it will go.

What we do know might happen tomorrow is rather than there being a thumbs up or thumbs down vote to the deal, there could be an attempt by some MPs to bring in what they see as an insurance policy.

This could mean another delay in case this deal falls through in the next couple of weeks.

That is potentially being put forward as an amendment so MPs will have a chance to vote on it.

Without going in to all the potential machinations it could mean tomorrow turns, not just into MPs giving an opinion on Boris Johnson's deal, but also wrangling again about a potential delay.

This could make things more fuzzy, and certainly more frustrating for Downing Street.

It will be a showdown of sorts.

Downing Street always knew that Parliament would be a very tricky hurdle.

Mr Johnson was also quizzed about the deal he has struck with the EU to resolve the issues over the Irish border.

He denied breaking a promise to the DUP, saying: "No I don't accept that at all.

"I think that what you have is a fantastic deal for all of the UK, and particularly for Northern Ireland because you've got a single customs territory. Northern Ireland leaves the EU with the rest of the UK."

The DUP has accused Mr Johnson of "selling Northern Ireland short" by accepting checks on some goods passing through Northern Ireland to get a deal with the EU.

The party's Brexit spokesman, Sammy Wilson, has described the deal as "toxic" and is urging Conservative MPs not to back it.

The pro-Brexit European Research Group has previously given its full backing to the DUP.

On Friday evening vice-chairman Mark Francois told the BBC he would be voting for the deal, while another member, Andrew Bridgen, said the "vast majority" of the group "will come to the conclusion that this deal is tolerable".

Labour plans to vote against the government motion, and in a letter to his own MPs Jeremy Corbyn said it was a "worse deal" than the one Theresa May struck with Brussels.

He said the proposals "risk triggering a race to the bottom on rights and protections".

"This sell-out deal won't bring the country together and should be rejected," Mr Corbyn added.

The party also attacked the deal after one Conservative MP, John Baron, told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme the UK would be able to leave the EU "on no-deal terms" if trade talks failed at the end of the so-called transition period in December 2020.

Labour chairman Ian Lavery said: "The cat has been let out of the bag... [and] no one should be in any doubt that Johnson's deal is just seen an interim arrangement."

However, the government appears to have moved to try and win the support of some Labour MPs by promising to boost workers' rights and environmental standards after Brexit.

Downing Street said the pledge followed discussions with Labour MPs and would also include a commitment to giving Parliament a say in the future relationship with the EU.

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford has also tabled an amendment, calling for a three-month extension to Brexit to allow for an early general election.

And Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage called the deal "the second worst deal in history" behind Theresa May's withdrawal agreement.

Commons business will start at 9:30 BST on Saturday - the first weekend sitting since the invasion of the Falklands in 1982.

Mr Johnson will make a statement to the House and face questions from MPs, before they move on to a debate about the deal.

The timing of any votes depends on which amendments are chose by the Speaker of the Commons, John Bercow.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-50099540.

 

[sweep_shot]

Boris Johnson has sent a request to the EU for a delay to Brexit - but without his signature.

The request was accompanied by a second letter, signed by Mr Johnson, which says he believes that a delay would be a mistake.

The PM was required by law to ask the EU for an extension to the 31 October deadline after losing a Commons vote.

EU Council President Donald Tusk tweeted that he had received the extension request.

He added he would now consult EU leaders "on how to react".

Hours after losing a crunch vote in a historic Saturday session in the House of Commons, the prime minister ordered a senior diplomat to send an unsigned photocopy of the request for a delay, which was forced on him by MPs last month.

The second letter from Mr Johnson - signed off this time - makes clear he personally believes a delay would be a mistake.

It says the government will press on with efforts to pass the revised Brexit deal agreed with EU leaders last week into law, and that he is confident of doing so by 31 October.

A cover note from Sir Tim Barrow, the UK's representative in Brussels, explained the first letter complied with the law as agreed by Parliament.

The prime minister previously said he would "rather be dead in a ditch" than ask the EU to delay Brexit.

BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg described the decision to send three documents as "controversial", predicting "there will be a fight about whether Boris Johnson is trying to circumvent the court".

She added: "This is heading straight for the court, and it may very quickly end up in the Supreme Court."

Earlier, Mr Johnson rang European leaders, including Mr Tusk, to insist that the letter "is Parliament's letter, not my letter".

What did the PM say in the letter he signed?
Extracts from Mr Johnson's letter to Mr Tusk:

"The UK Permanent Representative will... submit the request mandated by the EU (Withdrawal) (No.2) Act 2019 later today. It is, of course, for the European Council to decide when to consider this request and whether to grant it.

"Although I would have preferred a different result today, the Government will press ahead with ratification and introduce the necessary legislation early next week. I remain confident that we will complete that process by 31 October.

"While it is open to the European Council to accede to the request mandated by Parliament or to offer an alternative extension period, I have made clear since becoming Prime Minister... that a further extension would damage the interests of the UK and our EU partners, and the relationship between us.

"We must bring this process to a conclusion so that we can move to the next phase and build our new relationship on the foundations of our long history as neighbours and friends in this continent."

At the first Saturday sitting in the Commons for 37 years, MPs voted in favour of an amendment withholding approval of Mr Johnson's Brexit deal until legislation to implement it is in place.

Tabled by Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin, the amendment was intended to ensure that Mr Johnson would comply with the terms of the so-called Benn Act.

Under that Act, which required the PM to seek a Brexit extension, Mr Johnson had until 23:00 BST on Saturday to send a letter requesting an extension.

In a letter to MPs and peers on Saturday evening, he warned that the EU could reject "Parliament's request for further delay" and added that he "will not negotiate a delay".

"I will tell the EU what I have told the British public for my 88 days as prime minister: further delay is not a solution," he said.

The Commons defeat marked a major setback for the PM, who has repeatedly insisted that the UK will leave at the end of the month come what may.

Mr Johnson told the Commons that he was not "daunted or dismayed" by the defeat and remained committed to taking Britain out by the end of the month on the basis of his "excellent deal".

An EU source said that once Mr Tusk received the letter, he would start consulting EU leaders on how to react - which may take a few days, BBC Brussels reporter Adam Fleming reported.

Mr Johnson has vowed to bring in legislation on Monday to implement the deal he struck with Brussels this week.

MPs could also be given another vote on the deal then, if Commons Speaker John Bercow allowed it.

Analysis: Reluctant EU considers UK request

Boris Johnson literally spelling out his opposition to prolonging the Brexit process by writing a separate letter to Brussels to say so, makes it easier for his peers Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel and others to drag their feet a little.

They prefer first to look to the prime minister to make good on his promise to them that their newly-negotiated Brexit deal will *definitely* be passed by Parliament.

But, if push comes to shove, with the alternative being no deal at all... I cannot imagine the EU slamming the door in the face of the UK now.

They will want to know what [the extension] is for. Are there plans in the UK to hold a general election, a second referendum or a referendum on the new Brexit deal? Or is a bit more time needed to pass Brexit-related legislation?

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-50112924.

 

[sweep_shot]

Boris Johnson will urge MPs to back his Brexit deal later, as he launches a final bid to get the UK to leave the EU by the end of the month.

MPs are to vote on whether to back the prime minister's Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which was published on Monday.

If they back his deal, they will then be asked to approve an intensive three-day timetable in which to consider the legislation.

Opposition MPs have said this will not be enough time to scrutinise the bill.

Ministers have insisted they are confident they have the numbers to get the Withdrawal Agreement Bill approved, despite losing a crunch Commons vote on Saturday aimed at ruling out a no-deal Brexit.

MPs believed by ministers to be ready to back the prime minister include pro-Leave Labour rebels and former Tory MPs now sitting as independents who would rather leave with Mr Johnson's deal than no deal at all.

If MPs back the bill, they will then vote on the government's "programme motion", which sets out the timetable for the legislation's passage through the Commons.

On Monday, Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg warned the programme motion was essential if the UK was to meet the Halloween Brexit deadline.

"People who do not vote for the programme motion will not be voting for Brexit on October 31," he said.

Here it is. And here we go. The government has now published the pages and pages of new laws that need to be passed to make our departure from the EU happen.

Forget the meaningful vote, to get Brexit done - as the prime minster never tires of saying - this whole bundle of legislation has to pass.

The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill is a document of 110 pages that details exactly how Parliament is expected to put the deal that the prime minister agreed with his counterparts around the continent into UK law.

For Brexit watchers it is a big moment.

If the programme motion is approved, the bill will then move to the committee stage - which will continue on into Wednesday - when MPs will have the opportunity to put down amendments.

These are expected to include attempts to keep the UK more closely aligned with the EU through a customs union and to stage a second referendum.

Both are bitterly opposed by the government, raising the possibility that it could pull the bill altogether if either gets through.

Ahead of the debate, Mr Johnson called on MPs to get behind the government's plans.

"The public doesn't want any more delays, neither do other European leaders and neither do I," he said.

"Let's get Brexit done on 31 October and move on."

However, Labour's shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, accused ministers of trying to "bounce" MPs into approving a bill that could cause "huge damage" to the country.

The SNP's Pete Wishart also condemned a lack of economic impact assessments of the deal ahead of the attempt to pass the legislation.

"Three days to consider a bill [that] somebody suggested is 100 pages... how on earth are we going to have the chance to assess that properly?"

But Mr Rees-Mogg said other acts had been brought and passed with short notice.

"A king emperor left in 24 hours, and we are removing an imperial yoke in over a week," he added.

What is in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill?
The 110-page document will give legal effect to the withdrawal deal negotiated by Mr Johnson.

His plan ditches the backstop - the controversial measure designed to prevent a return to physical checks on the Irish border.

Instead it essentially draws a new customs border in the Irish Sea, as goods which could travel onwards to Ireland will have to pay a duty tax.

It also will see the whole of the UK leave the EU customs union, meaning it could strike trade deals with other countries in the future.

The WAB will also turn any agreed transition period into law, fulfil requirements on the rights of EU citizens in the UK after Brexit, and allow ministers to make "divorce payments" to the EU foreseen under the current deal.

But MPs will be able to vote on amendments - changes or add-ons - to the bill.

If the government cannot get the bill through Parliament, the default legal position is for the UK to leave without a deal on 31 October, but that will change if the EU grants an extension.

Tuesday's votes come after Mr Johnson failed to get the agreement he reached with the EU last week signed off in the Commons on Saturday.

MPs instead backed an amendment withholding their approval until the bill has faced the scrutiny of both the Commons and the Lords and been passed into law.

The amendment worked alongside the so-called Benn Act, which required the prime minister to ask the EU for an extension to the 31 October deadline to prevent a no-deal Brexit.

Following Saturday's developments, Mr Johnson sent an unsigned letter asking for the delay, along with a signed letter saying why he did not agree with any further delays.

There has been no official word from the EU yet on whether the bloc will grant a delay or what length it would be.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-50133958.

 

[sweep_shot]

The PM will push for a general election if the EU proposes to delay Brexit until January, No 10 has indicated.

Boris Johnson "paused" his Brexit bill on Tuesday after MPs rejected his plan to get it signed off in three days.

Now EU leaders will consider whether to grant a delay to the 31 October Brexit deadline and what length it would be.

A letter Mr Johnson was forced by law to send to the bloc after failing to secure backing for his deal on Saturday calls for a three-month extension.

But a Downing Street source suggested the prime minister would not accept such a lengthy extension.

"On Saturday, Parliament asked for a delay until January and today Parliament blew its last chance," the source said.

"If Parliament's delay is agreed by Brussels, then the only way the country can move on is with an election. This Parliament is broken."

On Tuesday, MPs approved the prime minister's Withdrawal Agreement Bill on its first hurdle through the Commons - called the second reading - by 329 votes to 299.

But minutes later Mr Johnson was defeated - by a majority of 14 - in a second vote on a fast-tracked timetable for the bill, prompting him to pause his legislation.

The prime minister insisted to MPs it was still his policy that the UK should leave the EU on Halloween, but acknowledged he would have wait to hear what EU leaders said.

However, Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg said it was "very hard to see how it is possible" for the bill to pass through the Commons and the Lords before 31 October, adding that Brexit was now in "purgatory".

Following the vote, EU Council President Donald Tusk said he would recommend European leaders backed an extension to the Brexit deadline, though he did not say what length it should be.

The BBC's Europe editor Katya Adler said most of the people in EU circles she had spoken to were tempted to grant the extension to 31 January laid out in the so-called Benn Act - the law aimed at preventing no-deal.

Under that law, Mr Johnson wrote to the EU to ask for a three-month extension on Saturday, but did not sign the letter and said it was Parliament and not the government that had requested the delay.

However, BBC Brussels reporter Adam Fleming said an EU source had indicated the bloc was also considering a "flextension" - an extension with a maximum end date, but with the flexibility for the UK to leave early if a deal was ratified sooner.

For the prime minister - not that he would like to admit it - it is almost now impossible, even for an optimist like him, to imagine there is any remote possibility he will be able to stick to his Halloween deadline for Brexit to actually happen.

(There is one scenario where he could - if the EU turns down an extension - but that seems even less likely than Boris Johnson deciding he wants a quiet life, now the European Council President Donald Tusk said he would recommend another delay, even though we don't know on what terms).

Political promises matter, especially one that was made repeatedly in such dramatic terms.

It is also true, however, that the prime minister achieved an important win on Tuesday night.

'Reasonable timetable'
Before Tuesday's votes, Mr Johnson had threatened to pull the whole bill and call for a general election if the timetable motion was lost.

But the prime minister cannot force an election himself and would need the backing of Parliament.

Opposition MPs have previously ruled out holding a general election until the prospect of no-deal was off the table.

Tory Brexiteer Andrew Bridgen said he thought the EU would grant a three-month extension.

Speaking on BBC's Newsnight, he said in such a scenario there would be "no excuses" for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn not to back an election.

Following Tuesday's votes, Mr Corbyn said his party was prepared to work with the government to agree "a reasonable timetable" to enable the Commons to debate and scrutinise the Brexit legislation properly.

"That would be the sensible way forward, and that's the offer I make on behalf of the opposition tonight," he said.

His offer potentially opens the way for Parliament to approve the bill before the end of the year.

But it also opens up increased opportunities for MPs to seek to amend the legislation in ways the government would find unacceptable - such as by including a customs union or second referendum.

What happens next?
If an election were to be triggered this week, the earliest it could take place would be Thursday 28 November, as the law requires 25 days between an election being called in Parliament and polling day.

MPs had been due to debate the bill over Wednesday and Thursday, but will now return to discussing the contents of the Queen's Speech - which put forward the government's domestic agenda for the new session of Parliament.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-50148094.

 

[Sir-fraz]

Brexit: PM to push for election if EU agrees three-month delay

Boris Johnson will push for a general election if the EU agrees to delay Brexit until January, No 10 has said.

The PM "paused" his Brexit bill on Tuesday after MPs rejected his plan to fast-track it through Parliament.

Now EU leaders will consider whether to grant a delay to the 31 October Brexit deadline and what length it should be.

Mr Johnson was forced by law to send a letter the EU requesting a three-month extension but he insists the UK will still leave at the end of October.

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar has confirmed he supports the proposal to grant the UK's request for a three month extension.

Mr Johnson may want a general election, but he cannot simply call one, as prime ministers did before the passage of the 2011 Fixed Term Parliament Act.

The move would need the backing of Parliament, and opposition MPs have previously ruled out holding one until the possibility of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October was ruled out altogether.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland told BBC Breakfast that "regrettably it does seem that a general election is the only way to sort this impasse out".

His opposite number, Labour's Richard Burgon, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme his party would agree to a general election if the EU granted an extension because it meant a no-deal Brexit would certainly be "off the table".

There is also the option of a further referendum, although it would require a Brexit delay and, most likely, a change of government first.

However, Mr Burgon said holding a referendum before an election - a move favoured by some of his Labour colleagues - was "fantasy politics".

The SNP has indicated it wants an extension to allow for a general election, while the Liberal Democrats say the PM needs to get an extension to allow a further referendum. Both parties would rather the UK revoked Article 50 and stopped the Brexit process.

Some Conservative MPs say the government should take the Labour Party up on its offer to come up with a timetable for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill that satisfies all sides.

MPs voted to back the first stage of bill, which would enact Boris Johnson's deal, on Tuesday - the first time Parliament has expressed approval for a Brexit agreement.

They had been due to debate it on Wednesday and Thursday, but after voting against that timetable, they will instead discuss the contents of the Queen's Speech, which sets out the government's plans for the next session of Parliament.

There is a tension in the Tory party today - some would rather try again to get the bill through. Those MPs were cock-a-hoop at the fact they had managed to get 19 Labour MPs to cross the threshold to potentially back this kind of Brexit deal - even though that is a million miles away from it getting safe passage through Parliament.

But in the heart in Downing Street the instinct is: if a delay is agreed they throw everything into an election instead.

No 10's fear is, even if they say "maybe we could pass the bill in a fortnight," that delay might turn into a long one, tangling with Parliament and losing control of the timetable.

Just as Parliament doesn't trust the prime minister, the prime minister and his team don't trust Parliament.

Opposition parties have no interest really in helping Boris Johnson to complete the passage of this bill. They want to disrupt it for perfectly obvious and legitimate political reasons.

So as things stand, the prime minister would rather trigger an election... But it is not in his gift.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-50148094