Letwin passes... under the law this extension letter gets sent by midnight today... 
The briefed references to “Parliament’s letter” rather suggests the letter will indeed be sent, in accordance with law, though perhaps not from PM himself, but by some other Government member or official... this is the reference in law .. “the PM must seek to obtain an extension”
I pointed out at the time that the Benn-Burt Act contained an off-ramp in clause (5) - it was always the case that if a deal subsequently passes, or Commons backs no deal, the extension letter can be withdrawn or modified. Often forgotten.
Also PM has only promised not to “negotiate” a delay. The letter will get sent, and then EU27 can accept new Brexit date among themselves, and then it would become an EU COuncil decision, and so EU law. Gets interesting if they suggest a different date, as occurred in spring.
As I thought...: “The PM confirmed that the letter would be sent to Tusk today.
Tusk will on that basis start consulting EU leaders on how to react. This may take a few days”: EU Source
No immediate response to letter then.
Tusk will on that basis start consulting EU leaders on how to react. This may take a few days”: EU Source
No immediate response to letter then.
The PM’s extension letter request has arrived with the European Council President...
Alongside a couple of other letters that it is probably worth reading the actual text of...
Indeed the PMs side letter acknowledges clearly it is up to EU now whether to “accede” to the PM’s extension request letter... so it is a real extension request from the PM, and is being considered as such:
Always possible under Benn Act clause 5 that even after extension request sent could be modified/withdrawn, and therefore nullified should Commons pass deal or pass no deal. Letter 2 does exactly that - Govt has asked for a new Brexit date of January, but still trying for Oct 31.
And the rest of the letters now published, and to no great surprise the Ukrep Tim Barrow cover letter does nothing to undermine the official letter from the PM asking for an extension to Article 50 until 31 January 2020.
Some effort made on gov.uk to distinguish between the concept of a “PM’s letter”, and a “letter from the UK”... that in legal terms is from the PM, though that didnt get past the metatag teams
Not a photocopy either... unless the Downing St photocopier manages to change the font, spacing and indentation.
purpose of such spurious detail (obv it was irrelevant whether a photocopy, copy and paste or freehand trace - words of letter legally specified in Benn Act) is to create some narrative distance between sending of legal extension letter by No 10 and PM who last month promised:
There was no loophole, to no great surprise.
PM had options to guarantee legal letter of extension was not sent in his name “whatever the circumstances”. Break law or resign.
Chose not to. As signaled at police presser, when avoiding question on resignation with “die in ditch”
PM had options to guarantee legal letter of extension was not sent in his name “whatever the circumstances”. Break law or resign.
Chose not to. As signaled at police presser, when avoiding question on resignation with “die in ditch”
