Inside Politics: Boris Johnson’s former ally attacks Brexit plan

As MPs prepare to debate the government’s plan to tear up parts of the withdrawal agreement, former attorney general Geoffrey Cox has turned on his old boss, writes Adam Forrest

Geoffrey Cox was sacked by the prime minister in February (EPA)

The sins of the past return to haunt us. ITV’s new blockbuster historical drama The Singapore Grip has been accused of marginalising its Asian characters in a “harmful” way. The writers say they wanted to focus on the colonialists responsible for “possibly the greatest catastrophe to befall the British Empire”. Boris Johnson seems determined to repeat his own sins of the past – and invent some entirely new ones besides. As MPs debate his law-breaking Brexit bill in the Commons today, how many backbench Tories will share their fears about the possibility Britain is heading for historic catastrophe?

Inside the bubble

Our political correspondent Ashley Cowburn on what to look out for today:

MPs get their first chance to debate the government’s Internal Market Bill as it receives its second reading. The legislation has provoked fury from nearly all living former PMs, EU member states and opposition parties at Westminster. Today, we’ll begin to see the true extent of Conservative disquiet on the floor of the Commons. Elsewhere, Frances O’Grady will address the TUC conference (virtually, obviously), with a stark unemployment warning for the chancellor if he fails to extend furlough support.

Daily briefing

BREAK GLASS IN EMERGENCY: Old friendships don’t count for much in politics. The former attorney general Geoffrey Cox, once a close ally of Boris Johnson, has said he will vote against the PM’s plan to override withdrawal agreement – calling it “unconscionable”. More than a dozen Tory MPs had been waiting for Cox’s legal verdict before deciding whether to rebel, according to The Times. Johnson is said to have spent the weekend trying to persuade Cox not to intervene. Could more than 40 Tory MPs support rebel leader Sir Bob Neill’s amendment giving parliament a veto? “I’m confident that support is growing,” said Sir Bob. It follows justice secretary Robert Buckland’s awkward Andrew Marr interview, in which he defended the PM’s plan as a “break-glass-in-an-emergency provision” that wouldn’t be needed if we get a trade deal. But he also said he would resign if the UK ended up breaking international law “in a way I find unacceptable”. Sounds like he has some doubts.

AIN’T THAT A SHAME: Will the force of Tony Blair and John Major’s joint appeal against the PM’s plan hold any sway over Tory MPs? The ex-prime ministers urged them to reject the “shameful” bill. “As the world looks on aghast at the UK … this government’s action is shaming itself and embarrassing our nation,” they stated. Democratic Unionist MP Sammy Wilson said Blair and Major were talking “utter bunkum”. A thoughtful contribution. Johnson managed to widen the rift with the EU over the weekend by suggesting Brussels was trying to block British firms from exporting food from the mainland to Northern Ireland. The PM claimed the EU wants an Irish Sea border which would “carve up our country”. Not true, said Michel Barnier. He insisted there was no threat to withholding the “third country” licence granted to nations outside the bloc. Ireland’s foreign minister accused Johnson of “inflammatory language” and deliberately jeopardising the negotiations.

HIT FOR SIX: Police will be patrolling public spaces today to enforce the new “rule of six” restrictions on social gatherings. It seems we may have to enjoy even this strange period while it lasts. The country faces going back into “hard lockdown” if people do not follow the rules, a government adviser has warned. Peter Openshaw, a professor at Imperial College London who sits on the Nervtag advisory group, said quick action was needed in case a “trickle” of cases turned into a “cascade”. One government source told The Telegraph a national curfew was “the obvious next step” if the case numbers keep rising (Sunday marked the third consecutive day in which Covid-19 cases have been over 3,000). Meanwhile, the government has been urged to do more to get people to switch from disposable masks to reusable face coverings. The Lib Dems and the Greens said single-use items caused “enormous” plastic waste.

X MARKS THE SPOT: As parliament tries to adjusts to Covid restrictions, new data has emerged showing just how casually former MPs were able to come and go as they please before the pandemic. In a single year, 324 ex-MPs used special “category X” passes to access parliament more than 2,500 times, according to The Guardian. The newspaper highlighted former Conservative MP Stewart Jackson – now employed as a lobbyist – used his pass 82 times in the year to June 2019. Do Tory voters care really about a lobbying scandal? What do they care about? The Lib Dems are planning a four-year drive to woo “soft conservatives” repulsed by the values of Johnson and Dominic Cummings, the party’s new deputy leader has revealed. Daisy Cooper told The Independent the party would appeal to those uneasy that the “thuggish” government appears at odds with basic values like respect for the law and international alliances.

RETURN OF THE MUTANT ALGORITHM: Tory MPs unhappy at the rigidity of the rule of six and the 14-day quarantine have another formula to get uptight about. Leaked analysis of the proposed new national housing policy reveals that Tory-run local authorities outside of London should take up more of the burden by delivering more than 30,000 extra houses every year. Around 30 Tory MPs have reportedly set up a WhatsApp group to moan and discuss their opposition to the plans – believing the government is trying to decide policy using another “mutant algorithm”. Elsewhere, in a move which could cause anger on the opposition benches, the Home Office is set to boost police stop and search powers. Officers will be able to stop and search anyone previously convicted of carrying weapons. If caught with a knife they face automatic jail sentences. Kit Malthouse, the policing minister, said: “The law-abiding majority should not have to live in fear.”

MONEY MIKE: Joe Biden has received a $100m boost from his former rival for the Democratic nomination, Mike Bloomberg – money aimed at helping the former VP win the crucial swing state of Florida. “I thought Mini Mike was through with Democrat politics,” scoffed Donald Trump. The Democrats have been worried by a shrinking poll lead in Florida, but they should be buoyed by new analysis showing Biden leads Trump by an average of 7.5 percentage points in 11 national polls conducted over the last two weeks. Trump, meanwhile, called for the death penalty for a suspect captured on CCTV shooting two police officers in Los Angeles. His campaign also ratcheted up the rhetoric in a fundraising text, warning voters that Antifa – the far-left anti-fascist demonstrators – will “attack your homes” if Biden is elected.

On the record

“If I see the rule of law being broken in a way which I find unacceptable, then of course I will go.”

Justice secretary Robert Buckland makes a pledge.

From the Twitterati

“It will surprise nobody that John Major / Tony Blair know more about the workings of the Good Friday Agreement than Boris Johnson.”

Alastair Campbell thinks Tory MPs should listen to the ex-PMs…

“Not surprising that Major and Blair … are supporting the EU position on free trade throughout the UK. I predict an even bigger majority for the Internal Market Bill tomorrow.”

…but Brexiteer Kate Hoey thinks Tory MPs will be turned off by the duo.

Essential reading

Dominic Grieve, The Independent: Why Britain must not become a law unto itself over Brexit

Becky Alexis-Martin: Trump’s nomination makes a mockery of the Nobel Peace Prize

John Harris, The Guardian: Chaos has become the new way of governing Britain

Olga Khazan, The Atlantic: Can young Americans be persuaded Joe Biden is cool?

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