PM to keep calling Benn Law the ‘surrender act’

Johnson says not being able to use term would impoverish debate

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has refused to stop calling a law blocking a no-deal Brexit the “surrender act”.

The Conservative Party leader said it was “impoverishing political debate” if such descriptions could not be used.

The so-called Benn Law demands the PM requests an extension to the divorce negotiations if a Brexit deal has not been secured by October 19. Mr Johnson has regularly dubbed the legislation – drafted and voted through against the government’s will – the “surrender act”.

He has faced calls from the Opposition and from more than 100 bishops to tone down his language following death threats issued to MPS this week.

Labour MP Paula Sherriff confronted the PM in the Commons on Wednesday, telling him online abusers used identical terms to Mr Johnson, including talking about “surrender act, betrayal, traitor”.

But speaking during a hospital visit in Essex, Mr Johnson said: “I think the threats against MPS are absolutely appalling and we’re doing a lot of work to give MPS the security that they need.

“But then there’s another question which is – can you use words like ‘surrender’ to describe a certain act?

“And quite frankly I think you can, and if you say you can’t, then you’re impoverishing the language and impoverishing political debate because after all, the use of that kind of metaphor has been going on for hundreds of years.”

Cabinet ministers paved the way for the PM’S refusal to go on using the term, with International Development Secretary Alok Sharma telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the Benn Law was a “form of capitulation” to Brussels.

Mr Johnson concurred with his Secretary of State’s comments at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow.

Asked whether he was looking to find a way to get round the instruction to extend the Article 50 deadline, he said: “No, I must say that we will obey the law but we’re confident that we can come out on October 31 and the best way to do that is to get a deal.

“And so that’s why the surrender act is so damaging. It has had the effect with our European friends of making them think, ‘Hmm, maybe Parliament can block this thing, maybe they will be forced to extend’.

“If you’re in a negotiation, that obviously makes it more difficult but we are still cautiously optimistic.”

Picture: Getty Images. Boris Johnson has been under fire over his language as the deadline for Brexit nears.