John McDonnell: 'Boris Johnson Can't Ignore Rule Of Law, Just Like Everyone Else'

5 October 2019, 11:10

The Shadow Chancellor told LBC that if Boris Johnson ignores the Benn Act, "it would send a message to anyone that the law doesn't matter".

Matt Frei said to McDonnell: "Boris Johnson has said that he will go on the 31st October, come what may, do or die, choose your metaphor. It's not entirely sure how they're going to do that because the law, of course, requires him to ask for extension if there's no new deal. What would be your reaction if we leave on 31st October by some legal loophole?"

McDonnell replied: "I can't see that how that could happen because we've legislated and I think that legislation is watertight. People would be, I think, very angry if we had a prime minister that ignored the law. This is the law of the country.

"If he found a device to in some way ignore or override it, I think people would think well, we have a constitutional democracy, we abide by the rule of law.

We believe that people should abide by the law, that will send a message out to anyone that the law doesn't matter. You can't heave the leader of a country behaving like that."