Philip Hammond has said he is “very confident” parliament will find a way to prevent
Boris Johnson from forcing a no-deal Brexit.
The former chancellor told
BBC Radio 4′s Today programme on Wednesday morning that leaving the EU without a deal “would be just as much a betrayal of the
referendum result as not leaving at all”.
Hammond, who quit the government when Johnson took over as prime minister, said any attempt to “bypass parliament” to get a no-deal exit would “provoke a constitutional crisis”.
It came as John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, said he would “fight with every breath in my body” any attempt by the PM to suspend parliament.
But Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, hit back at Hammond. He said “part of the reason” Theresa May’s government did not get a “satisfactory” agreement with the EU was it did not “prepare properly” for no-deal.
“It didn’t look like we were serious,” he told Sky News. “What he was doing in terms of preparation wasn’t exactly working.”
The stage is set for a high-stakes showdown between the government and MPs when the Commons returns in the first week of September.
Hammond and others opposed to no-deal are expected to try and find a way to amend legislation to block it.
He told the BBC: “Yes I am very confident that the means exist for parliament to make its voice heard and to pass legislation that gives effect to the clear view of parliament
“Of course the the mechanisms being there doesn’t necessarily and automatically deliver you the majority.
“In a parliamentary democracy everything depends on whether a majority of members of parliament are prepared to support something.
“But it is very clear to me and I think the Speaker of the House of Commons has also been clear that if a majority of members of parliament clearly want to go down a certain route a means will be delivered to allow that to happen.”
Jeremy Corbyn has also indicated he could call a vote of no confidence in Johnson in an attempt to topple the government.Related...
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