Maajid Nawaz Tests How The Queen Could Block Brexit Amid Parliament Deadlock

31 March 2019, 14:57 | Updated: 31 March 2019, 18:33

Maajid Nawaz tests the idea that the Queen could block Brexit legislation, as Parliament tries to break its deadlock.

MPs voted against the Prime Minister's Brexit deal for the third time on Friday, the day the UK was originally scheduled to leave the European Union.

The defeat means that Theresa May has until April 12th to come up with a way forward, as Parliament lies in deadlock over how to proceed.

But Maajid Nawaz tested a 300-year-old custom that could see the Queen block Brexit legislation.

Maajid reminded his listeners that no bill initiated by government can become law until the Queen gives her Royal Assent.

"Theoretically the Queen could at any given moment decide not to sign a piece of legislation," he said.

The Monarch lost the power to dissolve Parliament in the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, but the idea that the Queen could refuse to sign a bill into law was 'unthinkable' up until now.

"You'd be forgiven for being unable to think of a scenario in which it could happen where a bill would be presented before the Queen and the government officially advises the Queen not to sign it," Maajid said.

"The reason the Monarchy has survived so long is that the Monarchy knows that to do so would pretty much bode the end of the Monarchy.

"It has never happened, and the reason it's never happened is the same reason why the Queen is still Queen, because nobody wants to test the waters in this regard."

But as Maajid continued, he put his theory to the test over the current Brexit deadlock, giving listeners an idea of exactly how the Queen could intervene.

Watch in full in the video above.