Here’s What Parliament Could Do Next to Stop a No-Deal Brexit

(Bloomberg) --

Britain’s Supreme Court has overruled Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament in the run-up to Brexit. Now MPs are back in Westminster, plotting their next assault on the prime minister’s strategy.

Johnson says he is determined to ensure the U.K. leaves the European Union on time on Oct. 31, whatever the cost, and without a deal if necessary. That idea horrifies most members of Parliament -- and they are weighing up their options to make sure it can’t happen.

MPs have already passed one new law designed to stop a no-deal Brexit next month, but Johnson confirmed Wednesday that he plans to ignore it. These are some of the options in play:

Legislate for a Referendum

Some MPs are preparing to revive a plan that would put a Brexit deal to the public for approval in another referendum, according to two people familiar with the matter. The ballot paper would contain a choice between leaving with the deal, and remaining in the EU. If the electorate supported the deal, it would become law. But if voters rejected it, the U.K. would cancel Brexit and stay in the bloc.

Watch and Wait

While Johnson says he can ignore the law banning him from forcing a no-deal Brexit, the MPs who passed it disagree.

A group is planning to wait and see whether the premier tries to deploy any legal tricks to get around Labour politician Hilary Benn’s Act of Parliament. This requires the premier to seek a delay if he can’t get a deal by Oct. 19. The group believes the law is binding on Johnson and he must either ask the EU to extend the deadline beyond the end of October, or risk losing his job.

Tighten Law Banning No Deal

Another group fears the Benn Act has loopholes Johnson could exploit. Liberal Democrat deputy leader Ed Davey said he has seen opinions from senior legal experts that the new law “is not watertight.” It may be necessary to pass another law to tighten it up, he said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Kitty Donaldson in London at kdonaldson1@bloomberg.net;Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Robert Jameson

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