Dominic Cummings stands firm on Brexit date as he takes swipe at 'rich Remainers' following PM's Commons defeat

Dominic Cummings was quizzed on the Brexit departure date this morning
REUTERS
Jacob Jarvis10 September 2019
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Dominic Cummings has stood by his boss Boris Johnson's vow to leave the EU by October 31.

The senior adviser to the PM also took a swipe at "rich Remainers" when asked his next move on Brexit.

"You guys should get outside London and go to talk to people who are not rich Remainers," he told Reuters this morning.

Asked if Brexit will happen by the current deadline, he said: "Sure."

Boris Johnson, centre, leaves Parliament after MPs for a second time rejected his bid for a general election
REUTERS

Mr Cummings has been a controversial figure and drawn criticism during his time in the PM's inner circle - with senior Tory Sir Roger Gale previously branding him "an unelected foul-mouthed oaf".

The adviser's latest comments come after the Prime Minister said he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than go to the EU and ask for an extension.

He has steadfastly claimed he will not do so - despite a law being passed which insists he does.

The law, given Royal Assent yesterday, pushes the Brexit date back to 2020, unless he can secure a deal before then.

There has been speculation as to ways the Government might try to work around this, with foreign secretary Dominic Raab stating the bill would be analysed forensically and be challenged in court.

After reports Mr Johnson suggested he could break the law by refusing to seek an extension, Mr Raab told Sky News: “We’re always going to behave lawfully as a Government.”

He said the Prime Minister will “test to the limit” what the new law demands.

“Anyway [the law] will be challenged in the courts, but what we are going to do with that legislation is test very carefully what it does and doesn’t require,” he told Sky News.

“That’s not only the lawful thing to do, I think it’s the responsible thing to do.”

Last night, Mr Johnson suffered his sixth defeat in the Commons as his motion to call an early general election failed for the second time to secure the two-thirds majority needed.

This was followed by chaotic scenes in the Commons, as Parliament was prorogued at around 1,45am, in a contentious bid which has been heavily criticised by numerous MPs.

It will resume on October 14, following a Queen's Speech, which the PM said is to allow him to set out his new legislative agenda.

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