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BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg exposes loophole in Benn Act which will allow Boris to AVOID delay – Express.co.uk, Express.co.uk

BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg exposes loophole in Benn Act which will allow Boris to AVOID delay – Express.co.uk, Express.co.uk


A senior No 10 source said the so-called Benn Act, which forces the Prime Minister to beg the bloc for a Brexit delay if Brussels does not accept his new deal, can be interpreted in different ways. The unnamed source toldthe BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “The Government will comply with the Benn Act, which only imposes a very specific narrow duty concerning Parliament’s letter requesting a delay.” The same source added that “people will have to wait to see how this is reconciled. The Government is making its true position on delay known privately in Europe and this will become public soon ”.

Referring to the Act tabled and pushed through Parliament by Labor’s Hilary Benn, the source said it was “drafted by an unknown subset of MPs and pro-EU campaigners which can be interpreted in different ways, but the Government is not prevented by the act from doing other things that cause no delay including other communications, private and public ”.

The comments come as Mr Johnson is forced to ask for a Brexit delay should his deal not be accepted by the EU.

It was revealed that Mr Johnson could be fined or even imprisoned for failing to comply with the Benn Act, which requires him to seek an extension if a deal has not been reached by October 19.

But a shocking document has revealed that the Government plans to do just that – despite the Prime Minister ‘s pledge to take Britain out of the bloc “come what may” on October 31

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Mr Johnson has defiantly announced the UK will leave the EU on October(Image: BBC)

boris

The Government said that the Prime Minister accepted that he was obliged to send a letter to the E(Image: GETTY)

In submissions to the Scottish court, the Government said that the Prime Minister accepted that he was obliged to send a letter to the EU asking for a delay and that if an extension was granted, Britain would also agree to it.

The document read: “In the event that neither of the conditions set out … is satisfied he will send a letter in the form set out in the schedule by no later than (October) . “

Aidan O’Neill QC, representing the petitioners, has asked the court to write an order so the Prime Minister could be held in contempt if he does not comply.

He said: “[Boris Johnson] is not, when holding that office, simply the leader of a party, or a particular government attempting to pursue its own policies.

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Boris Johnson announced his new plan this week(Image: GETTY)

“The responsibility of the office is to uphold the rule of law and respect the constitution.”

Brexit Secretary Steve Baker has said that in spite of the document revealed in the Scottish court, the Tories will not seek a Brexit extension.

He wrote on Twitter: “A source confirms all this means is that Government will obey the law. It does not mean we will extend.

“It does not mean we will stay in the EU beyond Oct 31 .We will leave. “

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The proposal offers an alternative to the controversial backstop, which would see Northern Ireland compl etely out of the customs union but remaining within the single market, and a consent vote from the Northern Ireland Assembly.

However, while the Prime Minister said he believes his proposal represents a “compromise” on behalf of the Government, it’s not looking like the EU agree.

And if a deal isn’t signed off by both the EU and MPs at home by October 19, the law states Mr Johnson must request an extension from the EU, delaying the date until at least the end of January 2020.

Mr Johnson has not minced words when it comes to his thoughts on this, saying: “I’d rather be dead in a ditch than ask for another delay.”

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