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Top stories
It’s all kicking off – and a snap election is looking more likely than ever.
Boris Johnson launched his bid to break the Brexit deadlock in brutal fashion, suspending parliament for five weeks from next week and so cutting the time available to MPs to prevent a no-deal exit.
The prime minister’s move drew heavy criticism from the EU (which called it “sinister”), the Speaker of the Commons, John Bercow (“a constitutional outrage”), and MPs from across the political spectrum (“reckless” and “undemocratic”).
It also triggered three distinct legal challenges from the campaigner Gina Miller (backed by Sir John Major); the Scottish National party’s justice spokeswoman, Joanna Cherry; and Raymond McCord, a campaigner in Northern Ireland.
A petition calling on the government not to suspend parliament passed 1.7m signatures, two senior Conservative figures – Ruth Davidson, the leader of the party in Scotland, and George Young, the Tory whip in the Lords – resigned, and protesters took to the streets across the UK and even in continental Europe.
Undeterred, Johnson said he wanted to “step up the tempo” of Brexit talks (his envoy David Frost will head to Brussels twice a week) and he demanded rebel MPs stop undermining the government’s negotiating position. Ministers who had previously opposed the idea of suspending parliament rowed back on their earlier comments.
But while Jeremy Corbyn warned that this week would be the last chance to stop a no-deal Brexit, rebel MPs said they were confident they would have the parliamentary time to do so – and more than 50 pledged to occupy an alternative House of Commons if Johnson did go ahead with the suspension.
Michael Gove threw more fuel on the fire, refusing to rule out ignoring any anti-no-deal law, while general election speculation went into overdrive when the PM cancelled a Monday meeting with Tory rebels, threatened to blow up his majority by withdrawing the whip from any who vote against the government, and called a cabinet meeting for Monday afternoon.
One leading rebel, David Gauke, said a Commons vote planned for Tuesday to block no deal could be “very tight” but that the government’s deselection threats may actually be counterproductive, boosting rebel numbers.
Corbyn confirmed Labour would back an early election as long as it came before 31 October and as soon as anti-no-deal legislation had been passed, and Downing St said it would treat the vote to prevent no deal as “an expression of confidence”.
In a brief speech outside No 10, the prime minister threatened to ignore MPs if they vote against no deal, insisting that “under no circumstances” would he ask the EU to delay beyond 31 October. A government source said if the rebels’ efforts were successful, Johnson planned to call a general election for 14 October.
On the continent, meanwhile, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, reiterated that it was up to the UK to come up with workable alternatives to the Irish backstop, a message Ireland’s taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, repeated.
As the EU said it was considering whether to categorise a no-deal Brexit as a major natural disaster akin to flooding, fires or earthquakes, releasing emergency funds to member states most affected, the government unveiled a “Get ready for Brexit” information blitz with advice for citizens and businesses.
What next
This looks set to be one of the biggest weeks in UK politics in decades: it could decide how the UK leaves the EU, trigger a general election, end more than one political career, and leave an impact on Britain that will last for generations.
Concretely, MPs return on Tuesday and the Speaker will respond to the government’s decision to prorogue parliament. The rebels will request an emergency debate, which Bercow is likely to grant, in a bid to seize control of the parliamentary timetable.
Assuming they win that debate, they can table a new short bill that will order the prime minister to seek an extension to article 50 until 31 January to prevent no deal – although it is unclear how they can ensure Johnson will request it.
Also on Tuesday, a court in Edinburgh will rule on one of the three legal challenges to the suspension (the others are due on Thursday). The latter stages of the week are likely to be taken up with the passage of the rebels’ bill – if it passes the Commons – through the House of Lords, with peers possibly sitting through the weekend.
Johnson has not confirmed how the government will respond if the rebels succeed. But many observers believe a snap “will of the people” election would be inevitable, most likely in mid-October – and that it may be called as early as Wednesday.
Best of the rest
EU will not cave in to Johnson threats, says senior MEP.
Rees-Mogg calls doctor “shameful” for raising no-deal drug concerns.
No deliverable alternative to Irish backstop, leaked report concludes.
Leaked no-deal report says lorries could face 48-hour delays at Dover.
House prices could nosedive after no-deal Brexit, says KPMG.
Government U-turn over plan to end freedom of movement on 31 October.
Government branded immoral over pensions of UK citizens in EU.
UK energy price fears as electricity imports climb to record high.
Ireland says it will not act for Boris Johnson’s “political convenience”.
Gove watches no-deal Brexit practice run in Port of Calais.
UK falls to bottom of G7 growth league in second quarter.
Rise in EU citizens not getting UK settled status causes alarm.
No-deal Brexit could lead to greater spread of disease, paper warns.
Johnson has no credible replacement for backstop, says Irish deputy PM.
No-deal Brexit threatens flu vaccine supply, doctors warn.
“I can’t just be kicked out”: EU national damns Brexit settlement scheme.
Top comment
In the Guardian, John Harris argues that Johnson’s reckless confrontation with parliament is just what millions of voters want:
That this is a moment of huge importance and Boris Johnson’s suspension of parliament is outrageous are beyond doubt. But in the resulting noise about an alleged coup and the need to take to the streets, too much of the country remains uninterested, and plenty of other people have concluded that Johnson has done the right thing … To paraphrase the 20th-century communist Antonio Gramsci, it is not so much that the old world is dying and the new cannot be born: it is that the only vivid and coherent vision of the future of power and politics on offer is currently being offered by irresponsible chancers, whose chief concern is not the ghouls they are letting loose, but their own survival. Their opportunity lies in the chasm between this week’s protests and the millions of people who either avert their eyes or see them as so much liberal, remainer nonsense; it is also our side’s greatest challenge, whose urgency, even now, has yet to sink in.
Top tweet
A well-known actor delivers his verdict on Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament:
You will not fuck with my children’s future. You will not destroy the freedoms my grandfather fought two world wars to defend. Fuck off you over-promoted rubber bath toy. Britain is revolted by you and you little gang of masturbatory prefects. https://t.co/Oc0xwLI6dI
— Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) August 28, 2019
