Boris Johnson news: John Bercow warns prime minister against disobeying law by not asking for Brexit delay
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John Bercow has warned Boris Johnson against disobeying the law by not asking for a Brexit delay
It comes after the prime minister denied lying to the Queen over the suspension of parliament, insisting such claims were “absolutely not” true.
Earlier on Thursday, Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon claimed the title of the Yellowhammer document, seen by her Holyrood government, was changed before its release by Downing Street on Wednesday night.
Mr Johnson is under renewed pressure to reopen parliament after the dossier revealed the “unprecedented” scale of the problems the nation could face in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Cabinet minister Kwasi Kwarteng is coming in for a lot of flak after suggesting “many people” believed the courts were biased in relation to Brexit.
Our correspondent Ashley Cowburn has the details.
In case you were wondering what Nigel Farage thought of the Whitehall no-deal impacts dossier. I’m sure he’s read it in full.
In case you thought we had to wait until Tuesday’s Supreme Court hearing for more legal fun, a judgment is due today in a legal challenge in Northern Ireland arguing that the government’s Brexit strategy will damage the peace process.
Michael Gove, the minister in charge of no deal-planning, and Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay chair committee on Brexit preparations at lunchtime. And John McDonnell will launch a report a report on how to achieve shorter working hours.
The Home Office is making the “hostile environment” worse for EU citizens ahead of Britain’s departure from the European Union, the European Parliament is to warn.
A leaked draft resolution seen by The Independent shows that the EU legislature is preparing to express its “grave concern” at the chaotic approach of the government.
Our Europe correspondent Jon Stone has the details.
Here’s that remarkable interview with cabinet minister Kwasi Kwarteng – in which he said “many people up and down the country, are beginning to question the partiality of judges”.
Thom Brooks, professor of law and government at Durham, thinks the Court of Session ruling means Boris Johnson must step down.
“The main reason for handing the keys to No 10 back to the Queen is that finding today that he misled Her Majesty,” he writes.
Read more here:
BREAKING: Boris Johnson has denied lying to the Queen over the suspension of parliament.
The PM asked whether he lied to the monarch after the Court of Session in Edinburgh said advice given by ministers to the Queen which led to the five-week prorogation was “unlawful”, said: “Absolutely not. The High Court in England plainly agrees with us but the Supreme Court will have to decide.
“We need a Queen’s Speech, we need to get on and do all sorts of things at a national level.”
He added: “Parliament will have time both before and after that crucial summit on October 17th and 18th to talk about the Brexit deal.
“I’m very hopeful that we will get a deal, as I say, at that crucial summit. We're working very hard - I've been around the European capitals talking to our friends
“I think we can see the rough area of a landing space, of how you can do it - it will be tough, it will be hard, but I think we can get there.”
Johnson made the comments as he visited NLV Pharos, a lighthouse tender, which is moored alongside HMS Belfast on the Thames for London International Shipping Week.
Anyone have any idea what Jo Maugham QC knows that the rest of us don’t?
Boris Johnson has also been asked about the Operation Yellowhammer assessments and sought to downplay the impact of a no-deal Brexit.
He said: “It is very important to understand what this document is: this is a worst-case scenario which civil servants obviously have to prepare for, but in the last few months, and particularly in the 50 days since I’ve been prime minister, we’ve been massively accelerating our preparations.
“We’re trying to get a deal and I’m very hopeful that we will get a deal with our European friends on October 17th or 18th or thereabouts.
“But if we have to come out on October 31st with no-deal we will be ready and the ports will be ready and the farming communities will be ready, and all the industries that matter will be ready for a no-deal Brexit.
“What you’re looking at here is just the sensible preparations - the worst-case scenario - that you’d expect any government to do.
“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.”
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