Dominic Grieve Says Boris Johnson Could Go To Prison If He Ignores No-Deal Brexit Legislation

7 September 2019, 15:29

Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve told LBC that the Prime Minister could go to prison if he fails to comply with legislation against a no-deal Brexit.

The Independent MP was one of 21 rebels who had the Conservative whip removed after rebelling against the government earlier this week.

Commenting on Boris Johnson's performance as Prime Minister, he said: "I've found his behaviour quite astonishing. Both his behaviour at the dispatch box, where he seemed ill-prepared and unable to answer perfectly legitimate questions.

"And now apparently his suggestion that he would defy the legislation that's been passed through both Houses of Parliament in order to crash us out on the 31st October.

"The simple truth is that he can't do this. It's the law of the land, he's a subject of the law of the land, as anybody else, and just because he's Prime Minister doesn't mean he mustn't do what the law says he should."

The former Attorney General went on to describe the legal process that would follow if Boris Johnson were to defy the law, including the suggestion that he could go to prison.

He continued: "The cabinet secretary and head of the civil service will all say to him that they will not help or assist him in any way because he's acting unlawfully.

"He'll also be told this by the Attorney General who, if he persists, will almost certainly have to resign, along with the Solicitor General, who are both the law officers of the crown.

"If he continues, then a legal challenge will be brought in court to order the government to comply, and it will include, if necessary, an injunction requiring him to do this.

"If he doesn't do that he could be brought before the court and, technically speaking, he could be sent to prison for contempt."