Remainer MPs in secret plan to force Boris Johnson to seek a THIRD Brexit extension to stop No Deal
REMAINER MPs are drawing up plans to try and force Boris Johnson to delay Brexit for a THIRD time in order to stop a No Deal exit.
Rebels who don't want Britain to leave the EU without a deal are spending their summers plotting the best way to try and stop the PM from doing so.
show that they are planning several different strategies to try and thwart Boris' promise to deliver Brexit by October 31 no matter what happens.
They think they can block plans for an general election which may mean Britain comes out of the EU without a deal during an election period when Parliament isn't sitting.
Or they could use a vote of confidence in the days leading up to Brexit to seize control of the Parliamentary timetable and force Boris to ask the EU for another extension.
If Boris loses a vote of no confidence in the Commons he has 14 days to try and find a new Government or an election can be triggered.
But MPs say they could try and change the law to extend Article 50 and then have another election or a referendum to try and find a way out of the Brexit deadlock.
"In the circumstances in which the government is defeated in a confidence vote, the 14-day period that follows must be used to prevent a prime minister crashing us out with no deal," the document states.
"It would be counterproductive to spell out the precise mechanism(s) through which this might be achieved, but we must be clear about the principle — a general election must not be used as a device to get a no deal or any other form of Brexit over the line without the public having their say."
Other plans could involve forcing the Commons to cancel the traditional conference recess - clawing back weeks of extra time in Parliament to try and stop Brexit.
The Brexit plotting papers were drawn up after cross-party talks between a group of MPs last week.
Labour MP Peter Kyle told The Independent: “MPs can change the standing orders of the Commons. It takes a simple majority.
“We can change the standing orders at any time. We govern ourselves."
Another MP involved in talks added: "We face considerable obstacles but the general view is where there is a will there is a way, and a quiet confidence that a way through will be found."
This morning Tory MP Dominic Grieve, who has been involved in cross-party talks, told Radio 4 that Boris would be expected to maintain the status quo and keep Britain in the EU if he remained in post as PM.
He added: "There are a number of things that could be done to force the Prime Minister's hand in those circumstances, including passing primary legislation through Parliament while it's still sitting to force him to extend Article 50.
"We've done it before, we did it back in March/April of this year and it's possible that could be done again."
Rebel MPs WON'T be able to stop Brexit and they are running out of plots to try, experts warn
By Kate Ferguson
IT COULD be too late for rebel MPs to stop a No Deal Brexit, a respected think-tank last night said.
Remainer politicians are plotting to thwart Boris Johnson’s vow to take Britain out of the EU on October 31 “do or die”.
They are trying to hatch a plot to force Bojo to beg the EU for yet another delay rather than crash out without an agreement.
But the Institute for Government warned their plans look set to flop.
Joe Owen, Brexit programme director at the IFG said: “MPs looking to force the Government into a change of approach face a huge challenge when Parliament returns.
“Even if they can assemble a majority for something, they may find few opportunities to make their move – and time is running out.”
The IFG said there are hardly any laws which need to be passed by MPs before the Halloween, making it far harder for politicians to amend legislation to stop a No Deal.
Even if Remainer rebels went “nuclear” and tried to topple Boris in a no confidence vote, he could wait to quit until after Brexit Day, the report said.
The findings back Mr Johnson’s controversial strategy chief Dominic Cummings, who has warned MPs have left it too late to block a No Deal.
Mr Cummings – the maverick former Vote Leave boss - is masterminding Downing Street’s Brexit strategy.
But he has become enemy number one for Remainer rebels who are seething at his strong-arm tactics.
In an astonishing blue on blue attack, Lord Heseltine branded Mr Cummings a “revolutionary menace” and “intolerable to democracy”.
He accused the Brexit Svengali of encouraging Mr Johnson to “rip the heart out of our democracy” by plotting to stay in No10 even if he loses a confidence vote.
Lord Heseltine, a former Tory Defence Secretary, was suspended by the party earlier this year for voting Lib Dem.
The IFG said that time is so short it is unlikely a new deal can be agreed and signed before October 31 – leading Britain on a path for No Deal.
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said earlier that he was still concerned about the "chaos" of crashing out of the EU without a deal.
But he said the Government was working hard to "to ensure an orderly Brexit" and that ongoing work would "avoid the chaos of a crash out".
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said today that Boris Johnson remains "very clear in his determination to want to get a deal" and will hold talks with EU leaders over the phone in the coming days.
"He is very clear in his determination to want to get a deal. He believes a deal is in the UK's and the EU's best interests and he has said he will be energetic in pursuit of a deal," Number 10 said.
"We very much want a deal but we're also clear about what needs to be achieved in order to secure that."
Mr Johnson is expected to speak to EU leaders on the telephone in the coming days, and is understood to be considering travelling to meet some leaders for face-to-face talks ahead of the G7 summit at the end of the month.
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Boris is expected to face a vote of confidence within days of Parliament coming back in September.
It's been suggested that should Boris lose such a vote he could call an election for after Brexit - or refuse to resign.
But others believe that the PM would prefer a second referendum to an election where the Brexit Party are still hot on the heels of the Tories - and there's still a huge chance of another hung Parliament with no clear winner.
However, this morning Labour's Diane Abbott refused to confirm that they would bring forward such a motion of no confidence.
She told Radio 4: "It's above my paygrade [when it will take place] but it has to be an option.
"It's no good moving a vote of no confidence if, for instance, the Liberal Democrats aren't going to vote for it.
"We want to do it with confidence that we can win it."
Labour MPs have been told to cancel their leave and trips abroad in September if they have any planned, The Telegraph reported.
They need to be on hand in case needed to bring down the Government, if they do press ahead with a confidence vote.
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