Boris Johnson news: PM suffers fresh Brexit humiliation as EU systematically rubbishes plan, amid bizarre scheme to defy Queen
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Your support makes all the difference.The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier has delivered a brutal verdict on Boris Johnson‘s Brexit plans, saying the UK and Brussels are ”not really in a position” to find agreement.
Ahead of a critical EU summit, it emerged that the prime minister was preparing a historic Saturday Commons sitting on 19 October, in a last-ditch bid to avoid asking the EU for a Brexit delay.
Mr Johnson and his advisers are reportedly ready to tell the Queen she cannot sack him, even if he loses a no-confidence vote in the Commons later this month – a plan ridiculed by lawyers and historians.
Scotland’s highest civil court has also delayed ruling on whether to order Mr Johnson to ask for a Brexit extension – or have an official sign the extension letter if he refuses to do so – until 21 October.
MPs running to replace John Bercow as Commons Speaker are taking part in a hustings event in Westminster.
The nine candidates will be questioned for around two hours by journalists. Our correspondent Lizzy Buchan is there, and she says Bercow is receiving some flak.
SNP MP and Benn Act case petitioner Joanna Cherry QC has been talking about the Court of Session delay.
“The prime minister has given his unequivocal word to the court that he will follow the Benn Act and not seek to frustrate it in any way.
“He has also say he will not seek to frustrate Benn Act provisions ... he can’t try out any silly tricks to try to frustrate the act.”
Cherry says we should ignore the “unattributable briefings” coming out of No 10.
She said Scotland’s most senior judge said today that the decision will be “held over” to the 21 October to see if the prime minister “keeps his promise”.
“We are unfortunately dealing with a prime minister who has indicated previously that he’s prepared to flout the law and has unlawfully prorogued parliament. So we’re not in normal times.
“So I’m absolutely the court is keeping a watchful brief – it’s been described by others as a Sword of Damocles over Boris Johnson’s head.”
Boris Johnson earlier this week dismissed Extinction Rebellion activists as “uncooperative crusties” who should stop “littering” the streets of the capital with their “hemp-smelling bivouacs”.
Today the PM’s own father Stanley – a Extinction Rebellion supporter – has addressed a protest event and says he’s proud of being an uncooperative crusty.
Did you know Boris Johnson once wrote a film script for an Indiana Jones-style blockbuster called Mission to Assyria?
Readers of The Independent’s daily Inside Politics newsletter (sign up for free here) will know the “hilariously awful” script was recently unearthed by David Cameron’s sister.
In his latest interview, Johnson has admitted he sent the script to a “very distinguished director” in 2015 but didn’t hear anything back. “I was so crestfallen that I didn’t pursue it,” said the PM.
More details here.
Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has said there is a drugs problem in parliament.
Questioned on whether there is a drink problem in parliament at the hustings event for candidates to replace the Speaker, Hoyle said: “I do think there is a drink problem and I think it needs to be addressed and the support needs to be given, that's why health and well-being has got to be extended.
“It’s not just drink we've got to catch out, there is a drug problem, and I genuinely believe that counselling and real support should be available for all staff and members.”
“I think, I believe there will be a drug problem - there is a drug problem right across this country.
“I don’t believe that somebody who walks in here may not be tempted into drugs, and what I’m saying is that we should have health and well-being in place for drink and drug counselling and real support for anybody.”
Our correspondent Lizzy Buchan is at the hustings, and says lots of candidates promising to crack down on … clapping.
With Brexit talks on the brink of collapse and relations between political parties sinking to new lows, the talk in Westminster keeps returning to an early election, writes political correspondent Lizzy Buchan.
Boris Johnson wants one but the opposition does not – or at least not yet – in a Brexit-skewed reversal of the normal order of things.
Stripped of his parliamentary majority and facing pressure on all sides over his Brexit plans, the prime minister has tried several times to secure a snap poll.
At the hustings event (see previous post) for the next speaker of the House of Commons - replacing John Bercow - Sir Henry Bellingham also said he would revert to the traditional speaker's robes and wig, which hasn't been worn since the 1990s.
He told journalists: "I think we do have to keep modernising but I also believe in traditional values. I think the key thing about the speaker's uniform is that traditionally it has always been.
"It's not about him as an individual - the reason why High Court judges and judges wear wigs and gowns is because it is about the office they hold.
"So I would revert to the traditional uniform of the speaker which was last worn by Jack Weatherill because I think it sends a really strong signal that you are the empire, you're a referee, you're not a player."
Scotland’s highest civil court has delayed until 21 October its decision on whether to order Boris Johnson to ask for a Brexit extension if he cannot secure a deal.
The decision by the Court of Session in Edinburgh gives the prime minister an opportunity to show whether he will comply with the law requiring him to seek an extension by 19 October.
Scottish National Party MP Joanna Cherry said she was “delighted” by the decision, describing it as “a victory for us and all our supporters”.
Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, has said the position of the British government on Brexit is causing "great difficulty" in reaching a deal.
Speaking in the Irish parliament, Mr Varadkar said: "Part of the difficulty at the moment though is the position of the UK government is that Northern Ireland must leave the EU customs union and must be part of the UK customs union no matter what the people of Northern Ireland think.
"That's their position at the moment and that's one that is a great difficulty for us because the position of the British government is that the UK must leave the European Union and Northern Ireland must come out of the customs union, whether they like it or not.
"That creates huge difficulties for us because we want there to be a deal that respects the wishes of the people of Northern Ireland, and indeed the people in this Republic too."
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