Government 'unequivocally' accepts it cannot shut down parliament to force No Deal, says Gina Miller

THE UK government "unequivocally" accepts that it cannot close down Parliament to get a No-Deal Brexit through, said Gina Miller in an interview with Sky News on Sunday (18).

The anti-Brexit campaigner last month wrote to prime minister Boris Johnson arguing that any such move would be an abuse of his powers and would result in legal action.

Parliament has on several occasions voted against a no-deal Brexit. Unless Johnson could secure a new exit agreement with the EU and get it approved by lawmakers, he may have to resort to suspending the legislature.

Miller told Sky News: “What they have said is unequivocally they accept that to close down Parliament to bypass them in terms of Brexit – stopping a No-Deal Brexit in particular – is illegal.

“So without having to go to court they’ve conceded we’ve basically called their bluff.”

Miller said she would be seeking further reassurance that MPs would be able to pass legislation to stop a No Brexit Deal.

She said: "Parliament has to find a way – instruments and ways – of ensuring that they can pass that legislation, [the] scrutinising [of] which is what the Government letter has confirmed – that Parliament will be able to scrutinise and examine all options when it comes to exiting. It's not the same as giving them the ability to pass legislation.

"And because we already have in legislation that October 31 is our exit, they need to pass other legislation to prevent No Deal or to change that date after an extension."

Meanwhile, Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng downplayed that there could be an election before Brexit.

“I don’t think anyone is talking about calling an election, there’s a lot of speculation about things like a government of national unity and all the rest of it,” he told Sky News.

“I don’t see that as a way forward. In order to have a General Election lots of things have to happen which I think, in my opinion, are unlikely to happen but we’ll have to wait and see.”

He added: “The main focus of this government is to deliver the referendum and to leave on October 31.”