John Major vows to seek judicial review to avoid parliament closure
Former prime minister John Major has threatened to seek a judicial review if Britain’s next leader sought to suspend parliament to proceed with a no-deal Brexit.
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Calling any such suspension “utterly and totally unacceptable”, Major told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning: “National leaders look first at the interests of the country – not first at the interests of themselves.”
Boris Johnson is the favourite to win the Conservative leadership contest and he has so far not ruled out suspending parliament to deliver on his promise of a no-deal Brexit.
The UK was due to leave the EU on 29 March but delayed that until April, and then October, after parliament rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal three times.
Parliament has voted against a no-deal Brexit but May’s successor could seek to avoid such an outcome by proroguing parliament in the run up to the Brexit deadline.
Johnson has committed to leaving the EU by the 31 October departure deadline with or without a deal in a “do or die” Brexit.
Major said Johnson would need to seek the Queen’s permission for a no-deal Brexit, but that it was “inconceivable” that the Queen would refuse.
“The Queen’s decision cannot be challenged in law, but the Prime Minister’s advice to the Queen can, I believe, be challenged in law,” Major said. “I for one would be prepared to seek judicial review to prevent Parliament being bypassed.”
Major also blasted the deadline as “artificial”, arguing it had “a great deal more to do with the election of leader for the Conservative party than the interests of the country”.
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A source close to Johnson branded Major “completely bonkers” in response, telling the BBC the former PM had “clearly been driven completely mad by Brexit”.