Privy Councillors ‘could urge Queen not to let Boris suspend Commons’

A PLAN for dozens of Privy Councillors to lay siege to Downing Street is being considered as a way of stopping Boris Johnson suspending Parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit.

A s e n i o r s o u rc e reve a l e d to the Standard that Whitehall officials have been asked to study ancient protocol to establish the rights of the Privy Council to over-rule the Prime Minister of the day. The Privy Council, formed in 1708, formally advises the Queen on the exercise of the Royal Prerogative.

Under the constitution, the Prime Minister is required to take advice from members of the ancient body before recommending a course of action to the mo n a r c h . T h e r e a r e a t least 650 members, most of them former ministers allowed to style themselves as Right Honourable. Usually a PM would consult senior members of his or her own Cabinet, while other Privy Councillors are not asked.

But the source said it was arguable that every member of the Privy Council would be entitled to express a view if the Queen was to be pressed into a controversial action, such as suspending Parliament for political reasons.

“Once it was clear the Prime Minister was planning to recommend to the Queen such an action, you might see 50 or 100 Privy Councillors marching to Downing Street to demand the right to be heard,” the source said.

Former premier Sir John Major this month announced he will take legal action to stop Mr Johnson asking the Queen to prorogue Parliament in a ploy to prevent the Commons having a say on Brexit.

He said the action would focus on the legitimacy of advice given by the Prime Minister.