Boris Johnson battles Remainer Commons ‘coup’ trying to kill-off No Deal Brexit
BORIS Johnson was pitched against Parliament as a Remain alliance staged a “coup” to try and stop a No Deal Brexit.
On the eve of the Tory leadership favourite’s campaign launch, Labour teamed up with the Lib Dems, Greens, SNP and ‘soft’ Tories to try and seize control of Westminster business on Wednesday.
Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer will call on MPs to back a bid to gain control of the parliamentary timetable on June 25th.
If successful the cross-party group will introduce legislation in two weeks’ time to stop Britain leaving the EU without a deal on October 31.
The staggering plot is being supported by a number of Tories including former Cabinet Ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Dominic Grieve.
It came as Boris Johnson prepared to formally unveil his bid for Downing Street by reiterating that with him as PM, Britain will leave the EU in five months’ time – Deal or No Deal.
In words trailed ahead of the eagerly awaited speech, he said: “After three years and two missed deadlines, we must leave the EU on October 31.
'DELAY MEANS DEFEAT. DELAY MEANS CORBYN'
“We simply will not get a result if we give the slightest hint that we want to go on kicking the can down the road with yet more delay.
“Delay means defeat. Delay means Corbyn.
“Kick the can and we kick the bucket.”
The campaign launch in London today will take place less than two hours before the Labour-led plot hits the Commons.
A spokesman for Boris Johnson refused to react.
Meanwhile, a ComRes poll for the Daily Telegraph suggested Mr Johnson could win a landslide majority of up to 140 seats in a general election if he becomes Prime Minister.
But Tory Eurosceptics said any Conservatives who support the Labour-led bid would be “bringing on a General Election”.
Ex-Tory party leader Iain Duncan Smith said: “I cannot see why any self-respecting Conservative would support a Labour motion after the disaster of the Peterborough by-election.”
Jacob Rees Mogg – a key Boris Johnson supporter –added: “Some members of Parliament are determined to set their faces against the British people.”
Michael Gove – whose own leadership is supported by Sir Oliver Letwin – last night insisted Labour’s plans “must be resisted” as No Deal had to be kept on the table in negotiations as a bargaining chip with the EU.
And anti-Boris leadership outsider Rory Stewart – who has vowed to oppose a No Deal – insisted he would oppose the move today.
The incredible row came as …
- Tory MPs prepared for the first round of voting on the Tory leadership contest
- Sajid Javid demanded the Chancellor release £1.2billion of funding to help the Home Office prepare for a No Deal.
- Jeremy Hunt won the backing of another ‘Remain’ Minister, Business Secretary Greg Clark.
Explaining the Commons coup plot, Sir Keir Starmer said his cross-party group had been forced to act because of the “reckless” promises made by Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab to try and force through a No Deal.
Mr Raab sparked uproar last week by refusing to rule out suspending or ‘proroguing’ Parliament to force through a No Deal.
Sir Keir said: “The debate on Brexit in the Tory leadership contest has descended into the disturbing, the ludicrous and the reckless.
“MPs cannot be bystanders while the next Tory Prime Minister tries to crash the UK out of the European Union without a deal and without the consent of the British people.”
One of the masterminds of the ‘plot’ last night boasted they already had the “numbers” in Parliament to emerge victorious today given the number of Tories ready to cross the floor to vote with Labour later today.
BOJO TOLD 'COME CLEAN OVER DRUG USE'
BORIS Johnson’s Tory leadership rivals demanded he come clean about his past drug use yesterday – or risk “glamorising” it.
Andrea Leadsom, who said she “deeply regrets” smoking cannabis at uni, called on the front-runner to be “very clear” about whether he has snorted cocaine after joking about being offered the drug at a party.
And Mark Harper said Mr Johnson still has to provide “clear answers” on his drug use.
It came as Michael Gove yesterday admitted he was a "sinner" following revelations of his cocaine use in the 1990s.
Asked if Mr Johnson has a duty to explain what drugs he has taken, Mrs Leadsom said: “In politicians coming forward they need to be very clear – we all do.
“We are role models – if we’ve done bad things we need to be very clear that we regret them and we don’t think other people should be doing them.”
The ex-Commons Leader, who admits smoking cannabis, added: “Every time I’ve made this confession I’ve said I deeply regret it and I don’t think anybody should be doing this – it’s extremely damaging.”
Mr Johnson has admitted doing “dope” and joked about being offered cocaine in the past.
Nick Boles – a former Tory turned independent – is flying back from holiday to vote in the crunch showdown.
The source told The Sun: “It is not just a show of force. If we win, it will make it impossible for the next PM to do some of the more extreme things – like proroguing to force a no deal.”
A Labour insider added: “There isn’t much Labour can unite on – but stopping a No Deal Brexit is one.”
The cross-party alliance is understood to be split on what method to use to block a No Deal if they seize control of Commons business on June 25.
DEFAULT POSITION ON OCTOBER 31 COULD BE CHANGED TO 'NO BREXIT'
Under current legislation a No Deal on October 31 remains the legal default unless an agreement with the EU is passed.
Lib Dem leadership candidate Ed Davey has suggested making the new legal default that the PM of the day has to revoke Article 50 – and stop Brexit altogether. Others have suggested creating an obligatory day in September where the Commons has to sit to vote on a No Deal.
Earlier yesterday Theresa May warned a bitterly split Cabinet that any successor faced an insurmountable task in pushing through a No Deal.
She said: “There are as many people, if not more, on the stop No Deal side as in the ERG (Eurosceptic Group) who would not support my deal.
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“My successor is going to have the same problem.”
Attorney General Geoffrey Cox added that while it was “unconstitutional and improper” to prorogue Parliament it was not “illegal”.
But he warned: “It comes with a price.”
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