Sending Queen to EU is ‘ridiculous’

Sending the Queen to the EU to request an extension to Brexit and prevent a nodeal being forced through by the next prime minister is a “ridiculous idea”, a former Supreme Court justice has said.

Lord Sumption criticised the notion after it was reported that senior Tories have touted using a parliamentary device known as a humble address to get the monarch to act.

The BBC’S Newsnight programme reported that the Queen could be asked to exercise her right as head of state to travel to the next EU summit and seek a delay to Brexit if the next PM ignored a vote rejecting no-deal.

Lord Sumption told the Today programme on Friday: “I agree, it’s a ridiculous idea.

“I think, first of all, that MPS putting forward a particular point of view should pipe down on the question of bringing the Queen in because that very fact puts her in an awkward position and makes it more difficult for her and reduces her options.”

He also called for the Queen to have a source of advice independent of the government on the limits of ministers’ powers.

Lord Sumption, who has retired from the top court, said the constitutional basis on which the Queen must listen to the Privy Council is that the Government commands a majority in the Commons, which it does not.

“So, using the powers of the crown to defeat the majority is a very strange idea. But we’re in an entirely new territory,” he said.

Boris Johnson has refused to rule out suspending Parliament in order to ram home a no-deal exit unlike the Tory leadership race underdog, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Cabinet ministers expecting to return to the backbenches under his leadership sent a firm signal on Thursday, with MPS voted by a majority of 41 to prevent Mr Johnson suspending Parliament, with 17 Tories rebelling.