PM plan to sabotage any delay

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has drawn up plans to “sabotage” any Brexit extension without breaking the law.

It means today’s vote on a general election is the “last chance” for MPs to block a no-deal Brexit, the Government believes.

The Prime Minister’s key advisers held a meeting to thrash out moves to scupper Parliament’s efforts to force a three-month Brexit extension if no new deal is agreed.

One plan under serious consideration would see the Prime Minister send an accompanying letter alongside the request to extend Article 50 setting out that the Government does not want any delay after October 31.

A Cabinet source said: “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.

“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.

“Once that is done, the Europeans are going to ask why? What is the reason? [What] if the Government said ‘we don’t have any reasons for an extension’?”

A Downing Street source said: “We intend to sabotage any extension. The Surrender Bill only kicks in if an extension is offered. Once people realise our plans there is a good chance we won’t be offered a delay. Even if we are we intend to sabotage that too.”

The source added: “[Today] is the last chance for [Labour leader Jeremy] Corbyn to be prime minister and negotiate his delay at Brussels on October 17-18. If he opposes the people having their say in an election on October 15, then MPs should realise they may not be able to stop no deal.

MPs could be sent home from Parliament as early as this morning NZT following the vote on a general election as the Government pushes ahead with its prorogation plan.

No 10 has until Friday to suspend Parliament until October 14.