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Brexit: Boris Johnson plans emergency Saturday sitting of parliament on 19 October after EU summit - live news Brexit: No deal a 'dangerously realistic' scenario, MEPs told - live news
(31 minutes later)
He says the UK plan has led to three concerns.
First, the border issue. Boris Johnson has rejected the backstop, a safety net agreed with Theresa May, he says.
He says the UK and the EU agree on regulatory alignment for goods in Northern Ireland. But there is a dispute about customs. The EU wanted a backstop to avoid border checks. But the UK is asking the EU to accept a system that has not been properly tested, relying on exemptions and derogations and technology that has not been properly tested.
He says the EU needs the integrity of the single market and customs union, and proper checks. There must be credible controls, he says. The single market must be credible to consumers and companies.
Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, is speaking now.
He says the UK have a competent and professional negotiating team.
But he says the two sides are not in a position to reach an agreement.
Time is pressing, he says.
Juncker turns to Brexit.
He says it was the choice of the UK.
He says he is not ruling out a deal.
And he does not accept this blame game, “which started in London”.
He says he would like to repeat, for the sake of the British, that the European parliament would have to approve a Brexit deal, as well as the UK parliament.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European commission, is speaking now.
He starts with non-Brexit issues. He is currently talking about EU enlargement (the opposite of Brexit).
Tuppurainen says the UK crashing out of the EU is a “dangerously realistic” scenario, she says.
She says EU leaders will have to take stock at the summit.
Tytti Tuppurainen, the Finnish Europe minister, is speaking now. Finland has the rotating presidency of the EU.
She is covering the non-Brexit issues coming up at the summit.
And she says the UK plans do not yet provide a basis for an agreement. But the EU will continue to work with UK to get an agreement, she says.
Sassoli says MEPs do not want to see no deal.
And MEPs want to uphold the rights of citizens.
He says he spoke to John Bercow, the Speaker, today. He says any request for an extension should allow the British people to give their views – either in an election or a referendum.
He says he and Bercow agreed on the importance of parliament.
David Sassoli, the president of the European parliament, starts by telling MEPs about his talks with Boris Johnson yesterday.
He says “not much progress” has been made since the European parliament last debated this.
He says the parliament’s approach is simple; it thinks an orderly exit is the best outcome.
But the parliament “will not accept an agreement at any cost”.
It will not accept anything that threatens the Good Friday agreement and the peace process, and the integrity of the single market.
He says he told Johnson that the UK plans were not seen by MEPs as “a basis that would allow us to reach an agreement”.
MEPs wanted “operable” ideas, he says.
After some preliminary business, the European parliament is now starting to talk about next week’s EU summit.After some preliminary business, the European parliament is now starting to talk about next week’s EU summit.
David Sassoli, the president of the European parliament, is opening the session now.David Sassoli, the president of the European parliament, is opening the session now.
The European parliament’s plenary session is about to start.The European parliament’s plenary session is about to start.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, and Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, are there. They will be updating MEPs on Brexit.Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, and Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, are there. They will be updating MEPs on Brexit.
There is a live feed here.There is a live feed here.
Here are two stories about splits in the Conservative party around today that are worth flagging up.Here are two stories about splits in the Conservative party around today that are worth flagging up.
Sebastian Payne in the Financial Times (paywall) says at least 50 Conservative MPs would revolt against a general election manifesto that pledged to pursue a no-deal Brexit.Sebastian Payne in the Financial Times (paywall) says at least 50 Conservative MPs would revolt against a general election manifesto that pledged to pursue a no-deal Brexit.
Scores of Tory MPs oppose the idea and some are considering running on a softer individual Brexit platform or even standing aside as a Conservative candidate.Scores of Tory MPs oppose the idea and some are considering running on a softer individual Brexit platform or even standing aside as a Conservative candidate.
One minister predicted that “at least 50 colleagues could not back no-deal, including several in the cabinet”. Another said: “So much depends on the language but for me there has to be at least a nod to getting a deal.”One minister predicted that “at least 50 colleagues could not back no-deal, including several in the cabinet”. Another said: “So much depends on the language but for me there has to be at least a nod to getting a deal.”
Those MPs who would find a manifesto containing a purely no-deal Brexit policy problematic to support include culture secretary Nicky Morgan, justice secretary Robert Buckland and Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith.Those MPs who would find a manifesto containing a purely no-deal Brexit policy problematic to support include culture secretary Nicky Morgan, justice secretary Robert Buckland and Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith.
Damian Green, leader of the One Nation caucus of approximately 60 moderate Tory MPs, is due to lead a delegation to meet Boris Johnson on Wednesday. They are expected to tell the prime mister they cannot support a manifesto based on pursuing a no-deal Brexit.Damian Green, leader of the One Nation caucus of approximately 60 moderate Tory MPs, is due to lead a delegation to meet Boris Johnson on Wednesday. They are expected to tell the prime mister they cannot support a manifesto based on pursuing a no-deal Brexit.
This reaction was prompted by the anonymous No 10 briefing to the Spectator on Monday night saying the Tories would fight the next election on a no-deal platform.This reaction was prompted by the anonymous No 10 briefing to the Spectator on Monday night saying the Tories would fight the next election on a no-deal platform.
Alex Wickham at BuzzFeed says a rift has opened up at the top of Boris Johnson’s government between advisers loyal to the prime minister’s controversial chief aide Dominic Cummings and other senior Johnson allies.Alex Wickham at BuzzFeed says a rift has opened up at the top of Boris Johnson’s government between advisers loyal to the prime minister’s controversial chief aide Dominic Cummings and other senior Johnson allies.
The key dividing line is between the Vote Leave grouping which sees leaving the EU as the end goal and is willing to achieve it by any means necessary, and a group of advisers led by [Edward] Lister who see Johnson’s administration as a long-term project beyond Brexit, multiple government sources told BuzzFeed News.The key dividing line is between the Vote Leave grouping which sees leaving the EU as the end goal and is willing to achieve it by any means necessary, and a group of advisers led by [Edward] Lister who see Johnson’s administration as a long-term project beyond Brexit, multiple government sources told BuzzFeed News.
The Cummings faction – which crucially retains the support of the prime minister and forms his inner circle – is determined to secure an election and produce a hardline pitch to leave voters which seeks to nullify Nigel Farage’s Brexit party and blame the EU for the breakdown in negotiations, if it cannot agree a deal with Brussels or keep the PM’s promise to deliver Brexit by 31 October.The Cummings faction – which crucially retains the support of the prime minister and forms his inner circle – is determined to secure an election and produce a hardline pitch to leave voters which seeks to nullify Nigel Farage’s Brexit party and blame the EU for the breakdown in negotiations, if it cannot agree a deal with Brussels or keep the PM’s promise to deliver Brexit by 31 October.
The Vote Leavers hope that an uncompromising Brexit pitch would deliver a majority and that Johnson could then take the UK out of the EU without a deal, or offer Brussels new terms less attractive than his current proposal.The Vote Leavers hope that an uncompromising Brexit pitch would deliver a majority and that Johnson could then take the UK out of the EU without a deal, or offer Brussels new terms less attractive than his current proposal.
A Tory election campaign against the Brexit party would have to harden its position on any future agreement with the EU, offering a reduced Brexit bill and rejecting European court of justice involvement overseeing citizens’ rights, as well as no compromise on the backstop, a government official said.A Tory election campaign against the Brexit party would have to harden its position on any future agreement with the EU, offering a reduced Brexit bill and rejecting European court of justice involvement overseeing citizens’ rights, as well as no compromise on the backstop, a government official said.
Jeremy Corbyn has said the opposition might try to legislate again to ensure that Boris Johnson complies with the Benn act requiring him to request a Brexit extension in the event of no deal. Responding to the news that Johnson intends to hold a sitting of parliament on Saturday 19 October, Corbyn said:Jeremy Corbyn has said the opposition might try to legislate again to ensure that Boris Johnson complies with the Benn act requiring him to request a Brexit extension in the event of no deal. Responding to the news that Johnson intends to hold a sitting of parliament on Saturday 19 October, Corbyn said:
The prime minister has an opportunity on the 19th to announce that he has obeyed the law, signed the letter, and sent it off to Brussels to ask for the extension which will give us time to work out a sensible relationship with Europe.The prime minister has an opportunity on the 19th to announce that he has obeyed the law, signed the letter, and sent it off to Brussels to ask for the extension which will give us time to work out a sensible relationship with Europe.
The idea that the prime minister will break the law yet again is something that needs to be borne in mind here.The idea that the prime minister will break the law yet again is something that needs to be borne in mind here.
We will do everything we can in parliament, including legislating if necessary, to ensure that parliament makes that application to obey the EU No 2 Act [ie, the Benn act], which is the one that prevents us going into a no-deal crash-out on 31 October.We will do everything we can in parliament, including legislating if necessary, to ensure that parliament makes that application to obey the EU No 2 Act [ie, the Benn act], which is the one that prevents us going into a no-deal crash-out on 31 October.
Corbyn also said that in the event of Boris Johnson losing a confidence vote, he should be the person invited to form a government. He said:Corbyn also said that in the event of Boris Johnson losing a confidence vote, he should be the person invited to form a government. He said:
A caretaker government would be one appointed on the basis that the government has collapsed and the leader of the opposition is invited to form an administration.A caretaker government would be one appointed on the basis that the government has collapsed and the leader of the opposition is invited to form an administration.
When this government collapses I will accept that invitation and form an administration solely for the purposes of preventing a crash-out.When this government collapses I will accept that invitation and form an administration solely for the purposes of preventing a crash-out.
There is no process other than the leader of the opposition being invited to form that government and that’s what we will follow.There is no process other than the leader of the opposition being invited to form that government and that’s what we will follow.
Corbyn was speaking to the media on a visit to a wind turbine plant in Southampton, where he was promoting Labour’s plans to create 70,000 offshore windfarm jobs.Corbyn was speaking to the media on a visit to a wind turbine plant in Southampton, where he was promoting Labour’s plans to create 70,000 offshore windfarm jobs.
Labour pledges to create 70,000 more jobs in offshore windfarmsLabour pledges to create 70,000 more jobs in offshore windfarms
And this is what Leo Varadkar, the Irish taoiseach (PM), told the Irish parliament about the anonymous briefing from Number 10 criticising him. He said:And this is what Leo Varadkar, the Irish taoiseach (PM), told the Irish parliament about the anonymous briefing from Number 10 criticising him. He said:
To be honest, I don’t want to give much response to anonymous briefings of that nature. I don’t think much of an anonymous briefing whether they come from Downing Street or if they come from my own ranks, quite frankly.To be honest, I don’t want to give much response to anonymous briefings of that nature. I don’t think much of an anonymous briefing whether they come from Downing Street or if they come from my own ranks, quite frankly.
Sammy Wilson, the DUP’s Brexit spokesman, has said that his party would not accept the proposal floated in the Times today (see 11.41am) for a change to the consent mechanism applying to the new version of the Northern Ireland backstop. Under the government’s plans these arrangements would only come into force if the Northern Ireland assembly voted in favour, which in practice would give the DUP a veto. Under an alternative plan reportedly being considered by the EU, the arrangements would apply unless both factions in the assembly – unionists and nationalists – voted to end them.
Wilson said this proposal was not surprising, but that it had already been rejected by the UK government.
Parliament has been clear that such proposals would never be approved. It is not a serious proposal and should not be treated as such. It is a non-runner.
Whilst the United Kingdom government has put forward sensible and realistic proposals, it is disappointing that the European Union has retreated to its previous failed plans.
This proposal not only rewrites but actually turns the Belfast agreement’s consent mechanism on its head.
The United Kingdom must leave the European Union as one country and any decision to enter into regulatory alignment must have the consent of both unionists and nationalists.
Leo Varadkar, the Irish taoiseach (PM) has told the Irish parliament that the British government’s Brexit stance is causing “great difficulty”. He explained:
Part of the difficulty at the moment is the position of the UK government, that Northern Ireland must leave the EU customs union and must be part of the UK customs union no matter what the people of Northern Ireland think.
That’s their position at the moment and that’s one that is a great difficulty for us because the position of the British government is that the UK must leave the European Union and Northern Ireland must come out of the customs union, whether they like it or not.
That creates huge difficulties for us because we want there to be a deal that respects the wishes of the people of Northern Ireland, and indeed the people in this republic too.
Here is the Press Association story about the hustings held at Westminster earlier today for the candidates who want to replace John Bercow as Speaker.
John Bercow has been described as a “playground bully” by an MP running to replace him as Commons speaker.
Shailesh Vara said he believe Bercow has “tarnished the role of Speaker with his biasness” and said he insults and demeans his colleagues.
The nine MPs who have put themselves forward to replace Bercow as Speaker took part in a hustings event in Westminster.
Vara was joined by Sir Henry Bellingham, Chris Bryant, Harriet Harman, Meg Hillier, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Dame Eleanor Laing, Sir Edward Leigh and Rosie Winterton.
Candidates were asked about Bercow and impartiality, and Vara said: “No, Speaker Bercow has not been impartial.
“And frankly speaking, I think he’s tarnished the role of the Speaker with his biasness.”
He added: “I would say one other thing that recently we’ve had a lot of debate about the standards of MPs in the Commons.
“And given that Speaker Bercow has at times behaved like a verbal playground bully in the way that he treats his colleagues, he insults them, demeans them.
“I hope that he loses all authority to lecture to MPs as to how they should behave when his own behaviour is in question.
“So I think that the Speaker should always be courteous and polite, authoritative, yes, but not demeaning to his colleagues.”
Bellingham said he thought Bercow had been a “fantastic” Speaker, but added: “The problem with John Bercow is that many of the excellent work he’s done has been impaired by, A, having favourites, I think, in some ways.
“And, B, too often grandstanding remarks that frankly are a waste of space and time.”
Bryant, who wants to be “an umpire, not a player”, said of the Speaker role: “I think having an impartial Speaker is absolutely essential to the good functioning of our democracy.”
Harman said the role was to be the “champion of parliament in our parliamentary democracy”, adding: “And that’s not them being neutral or impartial, it’s being absolutely a champion of parliament.”
Leigh said Bercow is “perceived by a large part of the nation not to be impartial” and said the next Speaker needs to be “more in the mould” of former speaker Betty Boothroyd.
The election of the next Commons speaker will take place on 4 November, after Bercow, who has held the office since 2009, takes the chair for the final time on 31 October.
Britain would still have to pay into the EU budget until the end of next year even if it leaves without a deal on 31 October, Günther Oettinger, the EU budget commissioner, has said. Speaking at a news conference in Brussels he said the UK was fully signed up to the EU budget for 2020 - its final year of EU contributions.
Even if the UK refused to pay up immediately, the EU would recover its money “at a later stage”, he said. He explained:
In the 2020 draft budget, the UK is a full partner with all rights and obligations in terms of monies paid and monies received and that is how we understand the law.
If the British are not prepared to pay, we are sure we will get the money at a later stage but not immediately.
Boris Johnson has often said that if the UK were to leave the EU without a deal, it would no longer have to pay the £39bn owed under the withdrawal agreement. But even though the exact formula used to decide the UK’s legal obligations in that agreement would no longer be agreed between the two parties, British government officials admit that the UK would still owe a very considerable sum to the EU.
There has been some interesting speculation in the comments about what might happen at the emergency Saturday sitting of parliament planned for 19 October.
Here are two of the more intriguing questions, with my replies.
Could Boris Johnson use the sitting to hold a confidence vote?
Andrew, how about this for a plan to bypass the Benn/Surrender Act:On 19th Oct, Boris states he won't send the requisite letter, and calls an immediate confidence vote. If he wins, Parliament will effectively be approving his actions, thereby effectively cancelling the Benn/Surrender Act. If he loses, he is no longer PM, so isn't bound by the Act. Parliament then has 7 days to agree an alternative PM before a GE is called, during which we legally exit the EU...
Yes, he could.
But even if he won a confidence vote, and argued that that vote effectively overturned the Benn Act (and it is almost impossible to imagine him winning a vote on that basis), the Benn Act would still be law. Until it gets repealed or amended, it still stands.
If he lost the confidence vote, under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act MPs would have 14 days to pass a confidence motion in another administration. If that did not happen, there would be an election - with polling day after 31 October.
But the Benn Act would still stand - and so there would be no guarantee of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.
And Johnson would also be taking the risk that parliament would choose an alternative PM during that 14-day period. The Sun today is running a story saying some in No 10 think that, even in these circumstances, Johnson could remain in office. But experts are extremely sceptical. These are from Charlie Falconer, the former Labour lord chancellor.
The Lascelles Principles dealt with the circumstances in which the monarch could refuse the PM a dissolution, and have been overtaken by the Fixed Term Parl Act. https://t.co/MLvVe2qPtx
If there is no alternative PM who could command a majority after BJ loses a vote of no confidence then there will be nobody for who HMQ can send to form a govt. But if there is such an alternative, then BJ will have to vacate DS.
Could Johnson resign as PM?
*Andrew*
Nobody seems to be discussing this:
What if the government resigns on the 19th after losing a vote on their election manifesto aka Queen's Speech?
There will be no PM to write to Brussels by the end of the day.
The Queen would call on Corbyn to try and form a government, and I guess Swinson would have to back him - on the condition of an immediate election after he, not Johnson, 'surrenders' to Brussels by asking for the electoral poison of an extension.
Johnson - or the effective unelected PM Cummings - thinks he can then win a 'They Stopped Us' election...
And I fear he may be right.
As for Nodeal, I'd expect Johndon, whose only goal is Power at any price, would then shaft the Nodealers who voted for him by tweaking May's deal and getting it passed.
This is a possibility. People do not normally give up the office of PM voluntarily, but precedent has long since ceased to a reliable guide to what might happen in the Brexit saga.
One option would be to resign as a government, and to invite the Queen to make Jeremy Corbyn, or someone else prime minister, on the assumption that Johnson could then get back into power after an election fought on a “Brexit betrayal” platform. But this would be extraordinary risky. Even a PM without a majority has considerable power at his or her disposal (particularly over spending and patronage), and it is quite possible that Corbyn could negotiate a Brexit outcome more acceptable to the public than Johnson’s.
Another option would be to resign as prime minister on the basis that another Tory willing to request an article 50 extension (Dominic Raab? Michael Gove?) might take over. That way Johnson could keep his promise about not requesting an article 50 extension himself. But presumably he would only do this if he were confident that the replacement PM would stand aside for him again at some point in the future. That might also be a very risky assumption. Once people get appointed PM, they tend to want to stay.
The People’s Vote campaign, which wants a second referendum, says an emergency Saturday sitting on 19 October would give supporters even more of a reason to attend its march in London on the same day. It is put out this statement from the Labour MP Jess Phillips, who backs the campaign. She said:
The 19th of October was already set to be a historic day, with hundreds of thousands of people coming to London to demand that the final decision on Brexit is not made by Boris Johnson but by all of us.
With the news that Boris Johnson is planning an emergency session of parliament on the same day, there could not be a more important moment for everyone who cares about our country and our future to march, and to insist that we are all given the final say.
Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, will be giving MEPs an update on the Brexit talks this afternoon alongside Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European commission. Speaking to Sky News this morning, Barnier said he thought a deal would be “very difficult, but possible”.
He confirmed that the technical talks were carrying on and that he would be having a working lunch with Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, tomorrow.
In what seemed a dig at London, and the unattributable briefings hostile to Angela Merkel that were coming out of Downing Street yesterday, he said:
The EU will remain calm, vigilant, respectful - respectful - and constructive.
Asked if a deal was still possible, he replied:
I think the deal is possible and very difficult, but possible.
The leader of Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland has said that reports that the EU would replace a Stormont veto on future Brexit arrangements was a non-starter.
Michelle O’Neill told Sky News that the devolved assembly should not have any role in the final deal whether the voting system allowed for a veto or not.
“Let’s just rule that out. It’s never going to happen,” she said.
She added there was “no situation” in which the local assembly can have the final say. Such decisions on constitutional matters had to be taken by governments, not regional assemblies she said.
Under Boris Johnson’s proposal Stormont would have the final say on this next year and every four years thereafter.
But because of a particular voting mechanism in Stormont designed to ensure no one community can vote for something that would be harmful to another, there was concern that this could hand a de factor veto to the Democratic Unionist party.
According to the Times (paywall), the EU is now suggesting eliminating concerns by creating a new requirement that there would have to be a “double majority” in Stormont - ie both Sinn Fein and the DUP would have to agree to future arrangements.
Sinn Fein’s objection is that such a role for Stormont would plunge Northern Ireland into a unwelcome constitutional crisis every four years. One source said:
The institutions are already fragile and to add this into the mix is unwelcome and will destabilise the institutions further and threaten the Good Friday Agreement. They are just not plausible.
Other parties including the SDLP and the Ulster Unionist party made the same point to Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith in face-to-face meetings on Friday.
UUP leader Robin Swann said on Friday:
Northern Ireland would be locked into continual political debates about Brexit and alignment with the rest of the UK or EU. They would set the theme of every Assembly and Westminster election.
It plunges Northern Ireland into a referendum in the Assembly Chamber every four years with high stakes consequences for our people. It will keep our businesses and agri-food sector in a perpetual cycle of uncertainty.
An emergency sitting of parliament on Saturday 19 October would coincide with what is expected to be a large People’s Vote rally in London, Anna Soubry, the leader of the Independent Group for Change MPs, points out.
.@bbclaurak reports deal or no deal Parliament will sit on Saturday October 19 for critical votes. That’s also when 100,000’s of us will be in London marching for @peoplesvote_uk #FinalSay Come and join us - a confirmatory referendum is the only way out of the #Brexit crisis