NO MORE DELAYS
Defiant Boris says he won’t ask for a Brexit extension even if it passes into law
BORIS Johnson has today insisted he WON'T ask the EU to delay Brexit again - even if he is required to do so by law.
It comes after the Lords today approved legislation blocking a No Deal Brexit in a major blow to the Prime Minister.
12
12
12
12
The legislation orders Mr Johnson to ask for a Brexit delay until January 31 next year if no agreement has been reached by October 19 and MPs do not back a no-deal.
An alternate extension proposed by the European Council must also be accepted by the PM within two days, unless the Commons rejects it.
However Mr Johnson remains adamant he "will not" ask Brussels for a further extension.
This means he will either defy the law or, in what would be an extraordinary move, resign as Prime Minister.
If he were to stand down, the Queen would ask MPs if anyone else could form a government capable of commanding a majority in the Commons and if not there would have to be an election.
The law would still dictate that a Brexit delay must be sought, with an election likely to then be held in November.
12
12
It comes as Labour and the Scottish nationalists agreed not to allow an election until October 20 at the very earliest.
The move would force Boris Johnson to seek a Brexit extension past the "do or die" Oct 31 deadline - despite him saying he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than do so.
But three of Corbyn's ministers — John McDonnell, Emily Thornberry and Sir Keir Starmer — want it postponed to November.
Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP and Plaid Cymru are all understood to be planning on voting against or abstaining from the Fixed-Term Parliament Act when it returns to the Commons on Monday.
A further blow was dealt to the PM when Lords approved the legislation aiming to prevent a no-deal on the Halloween deadline, paving the way for it to become law.
It will mean the Government must ask the EU for an extension to the UK's departure - a move Mr Johnson has said would be worse than him being "dead in a ditch".
The developments came a day after the PM suffered a torrid 24 hours in which his brother resigned from Government while describing being torn between family and "the national interest".
The PM has said he wants polling day to be October 15, but in order to call the snap election he needs a two-thirds majority in the Commons and opposition parties do not trust him to stick to that date.
They also have concerns about whether he will comply with the cross-party legislation passed by Parliament.
Elsewhere today the Conservatives took another dig at Mr Corbyn when they mocked up a fried chicken advert with the Labour boss in a fluffy suit.
12
12
12
CHICKEN CORBYN
Corbyn was branded a "hypocrite" by PM Boris this week after becoming the first opposition leader to turn down the offer of an election.
During a visit to Yorkshire yesterday, Boris repeated his pledge to take Britain out of the bloc by the Halloween deadline.
He told reporters staying in the EU was "totally pointless" and costing Brits a "billion pounds a month" during a speech in Wakefield, Yorkshire.
And he refused to rule out the option of resigning instead of doing as Parliament demands and extending the deadline to January.
We have a democracy in this country and when the people of Britain take a decision parliamentarians are sworn to uphold that decision
Boris Johnson
When asked if he was considering stepping down, Boris said: "My intention, as I’ve said just now, is to deliver on the mandate of the people.
"We have a democracy in this country and when the people of Britain take a decision parliamentarians are sworn to uphold that decision."
His speech came after a gruelling 48 hours in the Commons in which MPs seized the agenda of the House and slapped down his election call.
Boris sacked 21 Tory MPs who defied the Government and sided with the opposition in a Remainer alliance.
Another, Phillip Lee, cross the floor of the House to join the Lib Dems - wiping out the Tories' majority in Parliament.
12
12
12
PM Boris Johnson 'would rather be dead in a ditch' than ask EU for another Brexit delay
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.
Topics