Boris: I’ll use every trick in the book
UK PM’s threat as MPs from all parties unite around Corbyn in bid to halt No Deal
‘Try to stop him at this crucial period’
‘Very different territory this time’
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson has told allies he will use every available tactic to prevent the UK parliament forcing him to delay Brexit.
Downing Street was last night braced for a bid by Remainer MPs, assisted by Commons speaker John Bercow, to pass an emergency law that would require Mr Johnson to seek an extension of Britain’s leaving date beyond October 31.
A string of Tory MPs yesterday indicated they were ready to join forces with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to force through the move, as the UK prepared for a day of nationwide protests against Mr Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament in order to help force through a No-Deal Brexit.
But senior UK government sources said the prime minister had made it clear he would never request another Brexit delay.
‘We are not seeking an extension under any circumstances,’ one source said.
Battle plans drawn up in Downing Street include a number of extraordinary tactics, including asking Eurosceptic peers to talk out the legislation in the House of Lords, and delaying a request for royal assent, preventing it becoming law before parliament is suspended next month.
Mr Johnson has also requested legal advice on whether his constitutional right to conduct international negotiations on behalf of the Queen would overrule any law passed by MPs.
All Tory MPs have been instructed to be in attendance and toe the party line next week, in order to respond to any parliamentary ambushes by opponents.
And ministers are braced for proRemain MPs to try to seize more time by extending sitting hours through next weekend.
Former Tory minister Nick Boles last night said he would support moves to extend sitting hours in both the Commons and the Lords next week in order to force the legislation through, before Mr Johnson prorogues parliament.
The warning came as Remainer MPs stepped up preparations for a last-ditch bid to rule out a No-Deal Brexit next week.
Mr Corbyn confirmed that the so-called Remain Alliance of MPs would try to start the process of legislating against No Deal on Tuesday, when MPs return from their summer break.
Attacking Mr Johnson’s ‘smashand-grab raid against our democracy’, Mr Corbyn said: ‘What we’re going to do is try to politically stop him on Tuesday with a parliamentary process in order to legislate and prevent a No-Deal Brexit and also to try and prevent him shutting down parliament during this utterly crucial period.’
Remainer MPs are looking to pass a new law ordering Mr Johnson to seek another Brexit delay of at least six months, allowing for a potential second referendum.
Yesterday, a string of Tory MPs indicated they were ready to join forces with Mr Corbyn to force through the move.
Former justice secretary David Gauke told the BBC that Mr Johnson did not have a mandate for leaving the EU without a deal.
Guto Bebb, another former minister, indicated he could even back a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson’s government, saying: ‘As Conservatives we prize loyalty. But it has become increasingly clear that our loyalty must be to our party’s long-term values and not to the man who leads the party at this time.’
Richard Harrington, a third former minister, announced he would vote against No Deal, and Tory grandee Kenneth Clarke predicted Mr Johnson’s controversial decision to suspend parliament for up to five weeks would galvanise bickering Remainers into action.
He said: ‘It should have the effect of getting the majority of the House of Commons who think a No-Deal Brexit would be a calamity, to actually get together to agree some compromises between themselves [in legislation].’
He also suggested he could vote against the government in a vote of no confidence if that’s what it took to stop No Deal.
But Labour frontbencher Barry Gardiner said the truncated parliamentary timetable meant it would now be ‘very difficult’ to pass the legislation in time.
And a senior Lords source acknowledged it would be hard to pass the legislation in the time available if Mr Johnson encourages Brexiteer peers to filibuster the debate.
‘When the last legislation of this kind was passed, the then-prime minister was willing to play ball on the timetabling provided her backbenchers had their say,’ they said.
‘We are in very different territory this time and it is going to be more difficult.’
The source also acknowledged it was ‘perfectly possible’ that Mr Johnson could refuse to seek royal assent for the legislation even if it cleared parliament.
Meanwhile, a group of 100 leading British union reps signed a statement arguing for immediate
strike action, ‘despite legal restrictions’ placed on their organisations, to defeat Mr Johnson’s plans.
The reps promised to ‘urgently mobilise direct action, including protests, strikes, and occupations’.
Separately, thousands of ‘Stop the Coup’ activists signed a pledge which states: ‘If the government tries to drive No Deal through by stopping parliament from sitting, we cannot just rely on the courts and parliamentary process. We need a massive movement of resistance, with marches, civil disobedience and protests in every corner of the country.’
The protests were backed by Labour Treasury spokesman Clive Lewis, who on Wednesday pledged to stage a sit-in in the Commons chamber.
He said: ‘These moves are utterly outrageous. If Boris Johnson thinks he can suspend parliament and force through No Deal, he has another thing coming.’
Corbyn-supporting campaign group Momentum also called on its followers to ‘occupy bridges and blockade roads’ to oppose the suspension of parliament.
On Wednesday night, hundreds of people took part in a protest outside parliament against the prime minister’s announcement.
An online petition against prorogation had last night topped 1.5million signatures.
Anti-prorogation protests have already been called in Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Sheffield and York for tomorrow
Another demonstration will be held in London next Tuesday as parliament returns.