Major ‘will go to court’ over Johnson

Boris Johnson has been told to expect a legal battle with former prime minister Sir John Major if he tries to suspend Parliament in order to force through a no-deal Brexit.

Former Conservative leader Sir John said it would be “utterly and totally unacceptable” for any British premier to shut down Parliament and he would seek a judicial review if it happened.

Mr Johnson dismissed Sir John’s “very odd” threat of being dragged through the courts, insisting Parliament should accept its responsibility to deliver Brexit.

But he has refused to rule out proroguing Parliament to prevent MPS blocking a nodeal exit from the European Union on 31 October.

The Tory leadership campaign frontrunner said: “What we are going to do is deliver Brexit on 31 October, which is what I think the people of this country want us to get on and do.

“I think everybody is fed up with delay and I think the idea of now consecrating this decision to the judiciary is really very, very odd indeed.

“What we want is for Parliament to take their responsibilities, get it done as they promised that they would.”

Sir John, who is backing Mr Hunt for the Tory leadership, said: “There is no conceivable justification, wherever we are, in closing down Parliament to bypass its sovereignty.

“I seem to recall that the Brexiteers, led by Mr Johnson, actually campaigned in the referendum for the sovereignty of Parliament.”