Boris Johnson WILL ask for an extension if no deal by October 19

Boris Johnson will send a letter to the European Union asking for a Brexit delay if no divorce deal has been reached by October 19, according to government papers submitted to a Scottish court on Friday (October 4).

Johnson submitted new proposals to the EU on Wednesday which he hopes will lead to a deal for Britain to leave on Oct. 31, the deadline set by Brussels. British parliament refused to back an agreement his predecessor reached with EU leaders.

But, just over a week after a British Supreme Court ruling that Johnson had suspended the parliament unlawfully and weeks before the deadline, anti-Brexit campaigners turned to judges to try to ensure Britain does not leave without a deal.

They want the judges to rule that Johnson must abide by a law passed by parliament last month requiring him to delay Brexit if he has not agreed a withdrawal treaty in the next two weeks.

They say a no-deal Brexit would have calamitous economic repercussions for Britain after it leaves the political and trading group it joined in 1973.

A spokesman for Johnson said he could not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.

Johnson has said he will abide by the new law, known as the "Benn Act". But he has also said he will not ask for any delay and that Britain will leave the EU anyway on Oct. 31. He has not explained the apparent contradiction in his comments.

Opponents say they believe he will seek some kind of legal escape route or try to pressure the EU into refusing to agree to an extension request.

The anti-Brexit campaigners filed two linked challenges to Johnson in Scotland's Outer House of the Court of Session in Edinburgh and the court's Inner House, the highest Scottish court.

The cases not only seek a legal order forcing Johnson to abide by the Benn Act. If he does not, they want the court to use its powers, not available in English courts, to write to EU leaders itself requesting an extension on his behalf.

(Production: Iona Serrapica)

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