Boris sabotage plan

Second letter to scuttle no-deal law

BORIS Johnson’s political team has been looking at ways to sabotage a new law that orders him to delay Brexit, ahead of a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.

A new law was due to be given royal assent last night that would force Mr Johnson to beg Brussels for an extension of Brexit until January 31.

The debate on the new law is likely to end up in court, as Mr Johnson moves to ignore or break the law, while rebel Conservative MPS will hire lawyers to ensure it is upheld.

The law even spells out the wording of the letter Mr Johnson would be required to send.

A Cabinet source said Mr Johnson could send the prescribed letter, as well as another letter, to sabotage the law. “There is a prescribed letter that has to be sent ... Does that stop the Prime Minister sending other documents to the EU? I don’t think it does,” the source told the UK Daily Telegraph, a newspaper for which Mr Johnson was a longterm paid columnist.

“A political explainer perhaps, as to where the Government’s policy is. It has to make clear that the Government is asking for an extension, but let’s not forget what the next step is.”

France has already flagged it may vote down any extension to Brexit, which has already been delayed from a March deadline.

Ireland would be one of the hardest hit economies if the UK left without a deal.

Mr Varadkar has played down any hope for a breakthrough in talks about the Irish border after Brexit, which has been a major sticking point in the negotiations.

Mr Johnson was due to head to Dublin yesterday for talks on the Irish backstop before flying back to Westminster to ask Parliament for an early election.

Mr Varadkar said: “I don’t expect any big breakthroughs but I do think it’s an opportunity for us to establish a relationship.”

Dominic Raab, the UK’S foreign secretary, said the Government would “test what it legally requires and what it doesn’t require and that’s the responsible thing to do”.