Other Brexit news - 7 September, 2019

Nigel Farage: these 

politicians are destroying 

democracy in the UK

Boris Johnson could go to prison if he refuses to delay Brexit, the former Director of Public Prosecutions has said. 

Lord MacDonald, 66, said today that should Mr Johnson decide to ignore a bill which prevents a No Deal exit he could face prosecution.

This is because, should Mr Johnson ignore the bill, he could be found in contempt of court. Asked if it would be 'an extreme outcome', Lord MacDonald said 'it is by convention that if you are found guilty of defying a court order then you are jailed'.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7438281/Boris-Johnson-prison-refuses-delay-Brexit-Lord-MacDonald-says.html

Boris Johnson's controversial adviser believes the Prime Minister will NOT have to ask for a Brexit extension under the new anti-No Deal legislation.

Dominic Cummings, 47, is understood to have a 'different interpretation' of the meaning and effect of the rebel anti-No Deal bill - which is expected to receive royal assent on Monday.

The legislation is designed to force the PM to seek a Brexit delay beyond October 31 if Britain and Brussels have not struck an agreement in the run up to Halloween.   

But Mr Cummings, at a special advisers' meeting last night said the Prime Minister will not need to do this, according to Sky News - sparking a fierce debate of how legally watertight the new legislation is.

The way in which Mr Cummings plots to circumvent the legal obstacle was not revealed.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7438497/Dominic-Cummings-claims-new-anti-No-Deal-law-NOT-force-PM-delay-Brexit.html

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/09/07/100-per-cent-sincere-offering-non-aggressive-pact-tories/?fbclid=IwAR2lF9c1w0Xs8Rs6DnaUPwRjT1KU-22CWymu3GPcsZp23bso-wVQfzsEpNc

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1175179/labour-news-john-mann-jeremy-corbyn-antisemitism-labour-brexit-boris-johnson?fbclid=IwAR0nzzCNg0Yol9yEyjDEY5Wo6VapT2aUrg1dLQYc9noVObWT8MFBlrHb4Rc

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1174467/Brexit-News-Party-update-latest-Boris-Johnson-Jeremy-Corbyn-general-election-no-deal

BorisJohnsonMASTERPLAN: 

How PM will deliver Brexit 

by exploiting EU’s own rules

By DAVID MADDOX,

the Telegraph,

7 September, 2019

The defiant Prime Minister will use the EU’s own rules to bring it to a standstill from November 1 unless the deadlock on Brexit is ended. Mr Johnson today tells Sunday Express readers: “I refuse to accept Corbyn’s pointless delay.” The Labour leader is refusing his call for an election. He vowed to ­simply “carry on” if Mr Corbyn again blocks an election.

The plan emerged as former director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald suggested Mr Johnson could go to prison for contempt if he does not agree to ask the EU for an extension in the wake of last week’s vote by Parliament.

But Mr Johnson’s inner circle hope the threat to sabotage the EU will persuade Labour and other opposition parties to agree tomorrow to an emergency election.

However if MPs reject that, the other member states of the EU will be dared to refuse an extension – or face the danger that it will not be able to function.

The extension bill, due to become law tomorrow, mandates the PM to take a letter to the EU asking for an extension until January 31 and blocking a no-deal.

He has made it clear he will not deliver the letter – and nor will he resign from office.

It comes as the embattled PM was lifted by an Opinum poll last night which showed the Tories up three points to 35 percent – 10 points ahead of Labour, which was down one on 25 percent.

The Brexit Party was down three to 13 percent and Lib Dems were on 17 percent – up two. It was the first time since March that more than half of Leave voters (53 percent) said they intended to vote Conservative.

And writing for Sunday Express readers today, the Prime Minister vowed to surmount all the obstacles in his way.

He said: “There is a group of MPs – led by Jeremy Corbyn –who simply want to block Brexit. They want to stop this country from leaving on October 31 and so they are trying to wreck the government negotiations.

They would force this country to accept ever more dither and delay. I refuse to accept Corbyn’s pointless delay.”

He vowed to ­simply “carry on” if Mr Corbyn again blocks an election. Sources have said the Govern­­ment will refuse to nominate a commissioner for the EU Commission. That, coupled with the PM’s refusal to extend, means the EU Commission will not be legally constituted on November 1 because of Article 17 of the Treaty of the European Union.

If the EU member states try to change the rules, Mr Johnson can use the British veto to prevent it.

Meanwhile, despite the parliamentary log-jam, Tory preparations for an election are under way. An email asking for funds from members saw £150,000 donated in fewer than 24 hours. A source close to Conservative Campaign HQ fundraising said it was “the best response I have ever seen”. It is understood that conversations have started with the civil service over election rules.

Senior advisers are making plans to hit key target seats – with high Leave votes – represented by Labour. Downing Street has also begun negotiations with executives at the BBC, ITV and Sky as they bid to host a series of live TV electoral events.

The party is also being pressed to agree to a head-to-head debate between Jeremy Corbyn and the Prime Minister.

A Downing Street source said: “We have the arguments to land a killer blow but fully expect Corbyn to run scared at the prospect of being held to account on national TV. It’ll be the first time the leader of the opposition has ducked a leadership debate.”

A source at CCHQ also said the party will frame this as the “Brexit election” between the Tories and a Remain alliance of Labour, Lib Dems, SNP and Greens.

But other policies were also laid out in last week’s spending review, which focused on more cash to increase police numbers, a public sector pay rise for teachers and nurses, and more funding for health and education.

Meanwhile, no-deal preparations will also continue, with an announcement of £300,000 to help “hard to reach” British citizens living in the EU.

Mr Johnson will also hold meetings with Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tomorrow, with the DUP demanding that he warns him of the damage a no-deal will do to Ireland’s economy if he continues to block a compromise on Brexit.

But with 21 Tory rebels dramatically thrown out last week, Mr Johnson is facing huge resistance. This is being led by senior figures such as former chancellors Ken Clarke and Philip Hammond, and ex-Cabinet ministers David Gauke and Rory Stewart.

According to rebel MPs it was the PM’s decision to suspend Parliament that finally united them. Until then, much less radical options had been considered.

“The suspension was the issue that changed the dynamic,” the source said, adding it was “all down to Downing Street”. Claiming that Mr Johnson is in “huge trouble”, the source said: “It seems he’s a hostage in No 10.” The 21 rebels are now expected to “vote as a bloc” tomorrow.

Arguing that the extension must be in place before an election is held, the source said: “Why would you take the risk of allowing an election before Boris Johnson has been forced to extend?”