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Sam Lowe, of the Centre for European Reform, said that no-deal tariff plans — under which almost 90 per cent of imported products would not face duties — made it “difficult to see” what freeports would achieve.

Former prime minister John Major, who has condemned Johnson’s pugilistic approach to politics, has warned on that the government may still try to use “political chicanery” to bypass the order for a delay. Major has warned that 10 Downing Street’s current incumbent could seek to subvert the Hilary Benn act, which requires the prime minister to seek an extension to the Brexit withdrawal date beyond October 31st if a withdrawal agreement has not been ratified by then.

In a speech to the Centre for European Reform, Sir John suggested the government could try to bypass the Benn Act by issuing an executive Order in Council.That does not require the permission of the Queen, and could potentially suspend the law until after October 31.'I should warn the Prime Minister that - if this route is taken - it will be in flagrant defiance of Parliament and utterly disrespectful to the Supreme Court,' Sir John said.'It would be a piece of political chicanery that no-one should ever forgive or forget.' 

In a speech to the the Centre for European Reform, Major said he feared Boris Johnson could try - via the privy council - to bypass the Benn Act by suspending it until after 31 October.He said: My fear is that the government will seek to bypass statute law, by passing an order of council to suspend the act until after 31 October.It is important to note that an order of council can be passed by privy councillors – that is government ministers – without involving Her Majesty the Queen. I should warn the prime minister that – if this route is taken – it will be in flagrant defiance of parliament and utterly disrespectful to the supreme court. It would be a piece of political chicanery that no one should ever forgive or forget. Major also accused Johnson of “wilfully” destroying the prospects of cross-agreement on Brexit with his Commons onslaught on the opposition. We’ll be mopping up all the reaction to Major’s speech and covering the other political developments today.

Tidigare har det funnits en informell pakt mellan parlamentets två stora politiska grupper, kristdemokratiska EPP och socialdemokratiska S&D, att inte ge sig på varandras kandidater. I och med att parlamentet blev mer splittrat efter valet är den tiden förbi, enligt forskaren Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska.

Former Prime Minister and Remain campaigner Sir John Major gave a speech saying he believed the plan was to “bypass Statute Law, by passing an Order of Council to suspend the Act until after 31 October.” He told attendees at a Centre for European Reform event, held at the Spanish Embassy: “It is important to note that an Order of Council can be passed by Privy Councillors – that is Government Ministers – without involving HM The Queen.”

Boris Johnson could resort to "political chicanery" to bypass a law designed to stop a no-deal Brexit, Sir John Major has claimed. He said the Prime Minister could use a so-called "Order of Council" to avoid implementing the legislation until after 31 October.Sir John said Mr Johnson could carry out the move through the Privy Council, meaning Parliament would not be able to block it.That way, the PM could meet his "do or die" pledge to have the UK out of the EU by Hallowe'en.