Boris Johnson news: PM suffers fresh Brexit humiliation as EU systematically rubbishes plan, amid bizarre scheme to defy Queen
Follow how the day in Westminster unfolded
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
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.
European Commissioners unanimously rejected UK Brexit proposals for the Northern Ireland border at a top-level meeting on Wednesday in Brussels.
Commissioner Günther Oettinger told reporters that “all colleagues agreed with Barnier” at the gathering of the Commission’s cabinet, officially known as the College of Commissioners.
Our Europe correspondent Jon Stone has the details.
Hilary Benn told the World At One programme: “I’m very happy to see parliament sit on October 19, because there will be a lot of people in London calling precisely for that confirmatory referendum.”
He’s referring, of course, to the 19 October People’s Vote march for a Final Say second referendum, supported by The Independent.
Asked if he accepts that the price of ruling out no deal has been that it is harder for the PM to get a deal, Benn replied: “No, I don’t accept that, because the Act (the so-called Benn Act) was very carefully structured to give the prime minister the opportunity to negotiate a deal with the European Union if he could.
“And the problem, the reason why it looks like the talks aren't going anywhere, is that he has broken with what had been the consensus between the United Kingdom and the EU that whatever happened the open border in Northern Ireland had to be maintained.”
Benn added: “What Downing Street is doing is trying to blame everyone else - the EU, Germany, the Act, and all of those other things - but actually it is the prime minister who has brought this mess upon himself.”
The Tory rebel and former attorney general Dominic Grieve said he is “puzzled” as to why parliament needs to sit on a Saturday, and called Downing Street a “propaganda machine spewing out lies”.
Speaking on the BBC’s World At One, he said: “I remain, at the moment, a bit mystified as to why we suddenly have to sit on Saturday October 19.
“I realise we are in the middle of a political crisis, but it is not a political crisis of a kind which makes me think we couldn’t be sitting on the Friday the day before or on the following Monday. The government simply hasn’t explained itself.
“I don’t object to it in principle, I’m just a little bit puzzled."
Grieve added: “Downing Street has become a propaganda department spewing out lies. So firstly it’s deeply corrosive of trust, and secondly, you do have the impression that you're being manipulated and it is very dangerous activity.”
Candidates to replace John Bercow have pledged to rewrite the rules as Tory MPs accused him of making the country “ungovernable”.
Several MPs in the running to replace the Speaker took aim at Bercow, with one describing him as a “verbal playground bully”, who had “tarnished the reputation” of the office.
Our correspondent Lizzy Buchan has all the details of today’s hustings event.
Boris Johnson says there’s been “a certain amount of noise from the wonderful … Extinction Rebellion people.
“And the haunting, lilting melody of the saxophone wafting in over the Downing Street walls late at night while I’ve been out exercising the dog – who’s in great shape.”
Jeremy Corbyn has praised wind power as “the future” after announcing plans to create 67,000 jobs and 37 new wind farms.
Labour’s 10-year plan for a “green industrial revolution” will also bring regeneration funds to coastal towns, the party leader said.
The “crucial” wind farms will be built with a mix of public and private money, Corbyn said, and will increase the UK’s capacity for wind energy five-fold, providing energy for 57 million households.
Speaking as he visited a wind turbine facility near Southampton, Corbyn said: “We have to do everything we can to reduce emissions in order to protect our natural world and our environment.”
Jeremy Corbyn at wind turbine factory in Southampton (AFP)
Our poor old Queen is getting dragged into this Brexit business again.
EU diplomats have been talking about what happens if Boris Johnson refuses to turn up for European Council summit next week.
“Heads of state or heads of government can attend the European Council,” one official told The Telegraph, jokingly referring to Her Majesty.
“If they want to walk out, they can walk out but if they want a deal they will have to come back to the table,” another diplomat on speculation the British PM could throw a strop. “You can hit your fists on the table but in the end only the fist will hurt.”
One official added: “We’re not bothered if he does walk out … we have ten other things to talk about at the summit. This might even give us the space to do that.”
↵Boris Johnson’s proposed Brexit deal is on life support, writes Independent political commentator Andrew Grice.
He says the deal is only still alive officially because neither the UK or EU wants to pronounce it dead, to avoid accusations that they killed it.
Read his essential column:
Speaking in the Irish parliament earlier, premier Leo Varadkar said: “I don’t think much of an anonymous briefing whether they come from Downing Street or if they come from my own ranks, quite frankly.
“There hasn’t been any change to the EU negotiating position, we signed our guidelines to the Council meetings, and they haven't changed and they certainly cannot change until the summit next week.
“As far as the Irish government is concerned, we do want to deal, we’re willing to work hard to get a deal, to work until the last moment to get a deal, but certainly not at any cost.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments