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.
Steve Rotherham, Liverpool's metro mayor, has called on Boris Johnson to acknowledge the pain caused by a Spectator article on the Hillsborough disaster, published when he was the editor.
He was responding to speculation that the PM and Leo Varadkar will meet in Liverpool tomorrow. No10 has said that the talks will be in the North West of England.
More than two million EU nationals and their family members have asked to remain in the UK after Brexit following a spike in applications which saw half a million people apply for settled status last month alone.
Government figures show that in September, 520,600 European citizens and their relatives had applied for the right to continue their legal residence in the UK after the country leaves the bloc – the highest monthly figure since the EU Settlement Scheme opened in April, up from 299,000 the month before.
More here from our social affairs correspondent May Bulman:
The staggering number of voters locked out of this year’s EU elections has been revealed, writes anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller, who brands it a "shame on our democracy".
Read her column here:
What is the timeline for an early general election?
Read our explainer here:
The Metropolitan Police said 800 people have been arrested since the start of the Extinction Rebellion protests.
Dominic Raab has said Turkey's incursion into north-east Syria "risks destabilising" the region.
The foreign secretary said: "I have serious concerns about the unilateral military action that Turkey has taken.
"This risks destabilising the region, exacerbating humanitarian suffering and undermining the progress made against [Isis], which should be our collective focus.
"Turkey has shown considerable generosity in hosting so many Syrian refugees.
"But we will not support plans for returns until the conditions are in place for a voluntary and safe return home."
Michel Barnier, the EU chief Brexit negotiator, had talks with Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem leader, party MP Tom Brake and MEP Catherine Bearder.
"My door is always open to all UK views on #Brexit," he tweeted.
John Bercow, the Commons Speaker, and David Sassoli, the EU parliament chief, have discussed ways of avoiding a no-deal Brexit.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said it was disgraceful as he had no right, but others defended the move as legitimate since they each represented their respective parliaments.
Jeremy Corbyn has said he was "deeply concerned" at the military intervention by Turkish forces.
"I am deeply concerned at the actions of the Turkish military in the Kurdish areas of northern Syria and the security of the Kurdish people," the Labour leader said.
"There needs to be a withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syria, not further escalation of the conflict."
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