Breaaking: The UK government has lost a vote 322 to 306 in the House of Commons to request an extension to the Brexit deadline until the laws necessary to put in place the agreement that Boris Johnson has negotiated are in place.
Boris Johnson in response has indicated he will defy the law and not send a letter “negotiating” an extension as required by the “Benn Act” by 11 pm tonight. Instead he will try to get his Brexit bill through next Tuesday.
Unfortunately he is likely to be trumped by the Scottish courts who will no doubt be invited to send the letter signed under a Scots law which allows this.
The case has been brought by three petitioners - businessman Dale Vince, QC Jolyon Maugham and SNP MP Joanna Cherry.
They want the court to use its "nobile officium" power to, in effect, sign a letter to European leaders on behalf of Mr Johnson if the prime minister refuses to do so himself.
Mr Johnson has previously said he would "rather be dead in a ditch" than seek another delay beyond the current 31 October exit date.
Boris’s weasel words do not stop him “requesting” a three month extension using the wording as required by the Benn Act. The latest is that 10 Downing Street issued a statement briefing that Boris may send “Parliament’s letter”. This is a nonsense and looks like the source is Dominic Cummings Boris attack pitbull and eminence grise behind much of the far-right policies.
Saturday, Oct 19, 2019 · 9:18:38 PM +00:00
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Lib Dem FoP
Blustering Boris has sent the letter but may still have broken the law.
A hard copy and email copy of the letter will be conveyed by Sir Tim Barrow, the UK's representative in Brussels.
But according to the senior Number 10 source, the prime minister will not sign the letter to Mr Tusk and it will be accompanied by two additional documents.
The first will be a cover note from Sir Tim, explaining that the letter complies with the law as agreed by Parliament.
But there will also be a second letter from Mr Johnson - signed off this time - which will make clear that he believes that a delay would be a mistake
It will also appeal to EU leaders to ask MPs to reconsider their decision, and vote for the deal the UK and EU have agreed without any further delays.
Not signing it may breach the Benn Act as might the second letter which could also breach undertakings made in the Scottish courts