Former Prime Minister John Major has launched a blistering attack on Boris Johnson – accusing him of having plans to exploit a loophole to bypass the law and force through a .
In an attack on his own party, the ex-Tory leader says they will use a piece of legal “chicanery” to bypass the rebel Bill forcing him to go for an extension to the October 31 deadline.
Major revealed how the rogue Prime Minister can still boast how he will leave the EU on that date despite the Commons passing an Act forcing him to extend if there is no-deal by that time.
In a speech on Thursday he explained the loophole opponents fear Downing Street will use to effectively ignore the law and the will of parliament.
Major said: “My fear is that the Government will seek to bypass Statute Law, by passing an Order of Council to suspend the Act until after 31 October.
“It is important to note that an Order of Council can be passed by Privy Councillors – that is Government Ministers – without involving The Queen."
Major added: “I should warn the Prime Minister that – if this route is taken – it will be in flagrant defiance of Parliament and utterly disrespectful to the Supreme Court.
“It would be a piece of political chicanery that no-one should ever forgive or forget.”
The move came after Johnson summoned the cabinet to a meeting in Downing Street which Major described as a “faction of a faction”.
He told his audience that the “do or die” attitude of Johnson was dividing the country and was an “aberration of Conservatism.
Major said: “Like many in my Party, who have been expelled for voting with their conscience, I am a life-long Conservative.
“We abhor the and hate – and words such as “saboteur”, “traitor”, “enemy”, “surrender”, “betrayal” have no place in our Party, our politics, nor in our society.
"It is emphatically not who we are as a people and must never be seen as so.”
He added: “Most Conservatives are not a Brexit Party tribute band, nor have we abandoned our core values to find compromise, seek allies, and strive for unity, rather than division and disarray.
"We do not believe we have the right to ignore the voices of millions of others, whose opinions differ from our own.
"I hope our millions of traditional, moderate, middle-of-the-road supporters understand that this Conservative Government’s present position is an aberration.”
