UK MPs willing to go to court to enforce Brexit delay

International Desk: MPs, including Tories expelled from the party, are preparing legal action in case the PM refuses to seek a delay to Brexit.

A bill requiring Boris Johnson to ask for an extension to the UK's departure date to avoid a no-deal Brexit on 31 October is set to gain royal assent.

But the PM has said he would "rather be dead in a ditch" than ask for a delay.

Now MPs have lined up a legal team and are willing to go to court to enforce the legislation, if necessary.

The cross-party bill - which requires the prime minister to extend the exit deadline until January unless Parliament agrees a deal with the EU by 19 October - was passed on Friday.

Although the government has said it will abide by the law, Mr Johnson described it as obliging him "in theory" to write to Brussels asking for a "pointless delay".

The Daily Telegraph reported that the prime minister said seeking another extension is "something I will never do", fuelling speculation that ministers could try to find a loophole.

David Lidington, Theresa May's former de facto deputy prime minister, said defying any law sets "a really dangerous precedent".

Source: Agencies

 

risingbd/Sept 7, 2019/Mukul