Brexit
It was a huge day for Brexit. Early on, I wrote a new blog post entitled, “What if Boris Johnson’s goal isn’t what we’ve presumed it is?”
Now for all that’s happened since:
Speculation about my future is wide of the mark. I fully support the Prime Minister and will continue to serve in his Cabinet. We have spoken over the past 24 hours regarding the importance of the Rule of Law, which I as Lord Chancellor have taken an oath to uphold.
— Robert Buckland QC MP (@RobertBuckland) September 8, 2019
And I’ve been noticing what Jane Martinson has been noticing.[1] If Reuters hadn’t highlighted[2] the Telegraph scoop on plans to “sabotage” legislation requiring Boris Johnson to seek an extension,[3] I’d have missed it entirely because even though I subscribe to the Telegraph, I’ve really been turned off of it lately. Martinson makes of it a broader and arguably more important point though, that deserves consideration.[4] There’s a lot here that’s troubling, only some of which builds on criticisms of journalism that have been leveled for a while, and that I still don’t have answers for. Which puts it in the category of things that make me grumpy.
In the meantime, the plan to send an accompanying letter denying the request at the same time sending the letter requesting the extension[5] would be in “contempt of court,” according to several British lawyers and former judges. The reaction to this seems to have been fast and furious.[6] And Boris Johnson has indeed prorogued Parliament, but not before it heaped yet more humiliation upon him.[7]
Daniel Boffey and Jennifer Rankin, “France threatens to veto further Brexit extension,” Guardian, September 8, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/08/france-threatens-to-veto-further-brexit-extension
Jane Martinson, “Like the Tories, the Telegraph has turned radical,” Guardian, September 8, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/media/commentisfree/2019/sep/08/telegraph-boris-johnson
Harry Yorke, “Boris Johnson draws up plan to legally stop Brexit extension if MPs vote against general election,” Telegraph, September 8, 2019, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/09/08/boris-johnson-draws-plan-legally-stop-brexit-extension-mps-vote/
Reuters, “Johnson prepares plan to legally stop Brexit extension – The Telegraph,” September 8, 2019, https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-parliament-johnson-idUSKCN1VT0SK
Aamna Mohdin, “Boris Johnson ‘sabotage’ letter to EU ‘would break law,’” Guardian, September 9, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/09/boris-johnson-sabotage-letter-to-eu-would-break-law
Peter Walker, “Six ways Boris Johnson could evade block on no-deal Brexit,” Guardian, September 9, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/09/six-ways-boris-johnson-could-evade-block-on-no-deal-brexit
Griff Witte, Karla Adam and Amanda Ferguson, “House of Commons Speaker John Bercow says he will step down, as lawmakers prepare for critical Brexit vote,” Washington Post, September 9, 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/irelands-leader-does-johnson-no-favors-as-the-british-prime-minister-seeks-to-unblock-brexit/2019/09/09/de680eaa-d0e4-11e9-a620-0a91656d7db6_story.html
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, “Boris Johnson sends British MPs home until October 14 after confirming Parliament prorogue,” September 10, 2019, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-09/boris-johnson-suspends-parliament-until-october-14/11494108
- [1]Jane Martinson, “Like the Tories, the Telegraph has turned radical,” Guardian, September 8, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/media/commentisfree/2019/sep/08/telegraph-boris-johnson↩
- [2]Reuters, “Johnson prepares plan to legally stop Brexit extension – The Telegraph,” September 8, 2019, https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-parliament-johnson-idUSKCN1VT0SK↩
- [3]Harry Yorke, “Boris Johnson draws up plan to legally stop Brexit extension if MPs vote against general election,” Telegraph, September 8, 2019, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/09/08/boris-johnson-draws-plan-legally-stop-brexit-extension-mps-vote/↩
- [4]Jane Martinson, “Like the Tories, the Telegraph has turned radical,” Guardian, September 8, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/media/commentisfree/2019/sep/08/telegraph-boris-johnson↩
- [5]Harry Yorke, “Boris Johnson draws up plan to legally stop Brexit extension if MPs vote against general election,” Telegraph, September 8, 2019, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/09/08/boris-johnson-draws-plan-legally-stop-brexit-extension-mps-vote/↩
- [6]Aamna Mohdin, “Boris Johnson ‘sabotage’ letter to EU ‘would break law,’” Guardian, September 9, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/09/boris-johnson-sabotage-letter-to-eu-would-break-law↩
- [7]Australian Broadcasting Corporation, “Boris Johnson sends British MPs home until October 14 after confirming Parliament prorogue,” September 10, 2019, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-09/boris-johnson-suspends-parliament-until-october-14/11494108↩