Blackford to demand truth ‘for once’ from Prime Minister

The MP is incensed that Johnson has continued to insist he will not delay Brexit – despite Government evidence submitted to Scotland’s highest court that if he cannot make a deal with the EU he will ask for an extension to the October 31 deadline.

The Prime Minister has also come under fire from SNP MP Joanna Cherry is one of the strongest critics of Boris Johnson , who said he was so dangerous and untrustworthy he should be removed from office.

At the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Friday, Government papers were lodged making clear the Prime Minister accepted he must comply with the terms of the recent Benn Act and send a letter to the EU requesting an extension if nothing is settled by October 19.

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“That absolutely contravenes everything he has been saying such as he would die in a ditch rather than ask for an extension, yet Downing Street is sticking to the line that we are leaving,” said Blackford.

“Both the lawyers’ statement and his statement cannot be true and I will seek to ask questions in the House of Commons tomorrow asking the Prime Minister to come clean and for once tell us the truth.”

Cherry who, along with lawyer Jo Maugham QC and businessman Dale Vince, has brought the court action against him, said he couldn’t be trusted to obey the law.

“The Tory leader has shown time and again that he is dangerous, untrustworthy – and must be removed from office,” said Cherry, the SNP’s justice spokesperson.

“We will continue to press this case to secure a formal binding undertaking to the court that a Brexit extension will be sought – and to ensure that the law is respected in letter and spirit.

“The fact that Downing Street are still briefing they will find a way to avoid an extension, despite Parliament passing a law requiring one, shows how important it is to take every step necessary.”

She added: “The Tory Government’s plans for an extreme Brexit would be devastating for Scotland and the UK – threatening to cause a recession, destroy 100,000 Scottish jobs, and cause lasting harm to living standards, public services and the economy.

“Whatever happens now, it is clear the opposition parties must unite to bring this Tory Government down, secure an extension, prevent a No Deal and hold an election. The SNP will put Scotland’s opposition to Brexit and our right to choose our own future as an independent country at the heart of that election.”

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Ian Blackford want the PM to come clean

Blackford pointed out that if Johnson did not send a letter to the EU asking for an extension in the event of negotiations failing, he would be in contravention of the Benn Act and would “pretty quickly” end up before the Supreme Court.

“The Benn Act is quite clear and he has to do what he is compelled to do,” he said. “It also came out in court on Friday that there are circumstances in which the court could send that letter on the Government’s behalf.”

Blackford added that there was “zero chance” that Johnson’s proposals surrounding the Northern Ireland border issue would be accepted by the EU. He said that in the

“extremely unlikely” event that Johnson’s deal was accepted by the EU, the SNP could not support it as it would not protect Scotland’s economic interests.

“His deal is a particularly damaging one for Scotland and not one that we could support, but it’s just bonkers, which is why it won’t be accepted,” said Blackford.

He accused Johnson of concocting unworkable suggestions in order to blame the EU if they rejected them.

“From day one he has always been trying to create this pretence that he wants a deal,” said Blackford. “Boris Johnson does not want a deal. He wants a No Deal and wants to blame the EU for it, but his proposals make it almost impossible for the EU to negotiate.

“There is also this whole narrative from Boris Johnson about putting the people up against Parliament, but that is complete nonsense as we are in Parliament to stand up for the rights of the people we represent.

“This is all about Boris and his Brexiteer fan boys led by Dominic Cummings in No 10 who are trying to drive us out of the EU at the end of October with No Deal. It is the ideology of the hard right. What has happened is that the Tory Party has been taken over by the Vote Leave campaign and that is very unpalatable.”

He added: “What a No Deal would do is create volatility and a number of speculators on the financial market would use that to their own advantage. It would be immensely damaging to Scotland.

“From day one we would have no trade with Europe and immediately fall under World Trade Organisation rules, which would have a devastating impact on our industry, farmers and shellfish sector. We are going to be in chaos, with people losing their jobs and medicine and food supplies threatened. Future trade agreements could take years.”

He said the SNP would tomorrow attempt to hold the Government to account, although the “harsh reality” was that Johnson would prorogue Parliament on Tuesday until the following Monday.

“We have no way of stopping that as he has executive powers which again shows the weakness of the UK’s unwritten constitution,” said Blackford.