Brexit will take place on October 31st “whatever the circumstances”, Downing Street has said, refusing to say whether Boris Johnson would regard a vote in parliament against a no-deal departure as sufficient reason to change course.
Quizzed repeatedly at a media briefing, the prime minister’s spokesman also declined to say whether the government would consider allowing no deal to happen if it was amid an election campaign, or if Johnson had lost a no-confidence vote in the Commons.
The spokesman said he could not comment on hypothetical situations. But asked whether, as a matter of broader principle, Johnson could commit to respecting votes in parliament, he also declined to answer.
The comments, which indicate a further ratcheting up of the new government’s rhetoric on no deal, began when the spokesman was asked whether it now appeared to be too late for the UK to depart with a new agreement.
Johnson currently has no Brexit talks scheduled with European leaders, having set down the unilateral condition that the EU must first ditch the backstop insurance clause for the Irish border, something Brussels has long insisted is impossible.
The spokesman said: “It is my job to set out the PM’s position, and that is that the UK will be leaving the EU on 31 October whatever the circumstances. There are no ifs or buts.
“We must restore trust in our democracy and fulfil the repeated promises of parliament to the people by coming out of the EU on 31 October. Politicians cannot choose which votes to respect. They promised to respect the referendum result. We must do so.”
In a sometimes confusing series of exchanges with the media, Johnson’s spokesman refused at least 10 times to outline whether this deadline could be changed by the actions of MPs, saying he could not comment on theoretical situations.
Hypotheticals
Asked if Johnson would respect a no-confidence vote against his government if one was passed, he said: “One hasn’t been called, and one hasn’t been held, and I have never discussed hypotheticals. The key point is we are leaving on 31 October whatever the circumstances.”
On the subject of whether Johnson would abide by a vote in parliament to, for example, stop or delay Brexit, the spokesman said: “My answer on this is not going to change, and none of those things have happened.”
There was a similar response on the notion of no deal happening on 31 October even if this fell during a general election campaign, a period when, by convention, the incumbent government does not take any major decisions.
The spokesman similarly declined to say whether a Johnson government had a general policy of abiding by votes of parliament, saying: “What I’m doing is not engaging in some hypothetical game you’re trying to pull me into.”
Having repeatedly declined to comment, the spokesman then rejected the idea it was fair to say the government was not ruling out ignoring the will of parliament, saying: “No, it wouldn’t be a fair characterisation. This conversation began with you putting forward hypothetical propositions, and I have said, ask me the questions about those specific votes at the time.”
The comments will nonetheless alarm opponents of a no-deal Brexit who fear that Johnson might try to force through such an outcome against the wishes of MPs, for example by proroguing parliament, or by delaying a general election until after the Brexit date.
According to several reports, Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s senior adviser, has argued that even if MPs deposed the government in a no-confidence vote once the Commons resumes in September, it could then schedule an election to take place after October 31st.
Separately, Cummings laid down the law to government special advisers about pushing through Brexit at an early morning meeting on Monday.
He is said to have been scathing about former cabinet ministers Philip Hammond and Greg Clark for failing to prepare properly for a no-deal Brexit and charged advisers with making sure their departments are adequately ready for leaving on October 31st no matter what.
At the media briefing, Johnson’s spokesman said no-deal preparations were being ramped up, adding that there was no need for a series of planned bills on areas such as fishing, agriculture and immigration to take place if there was no deal.
“None of the exit bills currently before parliament are needed ahead of exit day in the event that we don’t leave with an agreement,” he said.
– Guardian