Has Cummings Found A Route Through the Maze?

Boris Johnson's right-hand man says there are loopholes in the law that are designed to put prevent a "disastrous" no deal Brexit.

Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister's senior adviser says that lawyers are arguing over the Benn Act, which demands that the government asks the EU for an extension to the Brexit deadline.

It comes as former Prime Minister John Major launched an attack on Boris Johnson - accusing him of having plans to exploit a loophole to bypass the law which forces the government to go for an extension to the October 31 deadline if there is no exit deal.

Mr Major said the government will use a piece of legal "chicanery" to by pass the bill, using the secretive body of the Privy Council to get around the law.

Mr Cummings said last night:"There are obviously loopholes here, because Remain lawyers are all babbling away on Twitter about the loopholes, so they say themselves that there are loopholes."

Asked by Sky News if the government would obey the law, he said: "All governments obey the law, or they try to.

He said he and the prime minister are "enjoying" the pressure of Brexit negotiations.

He said: "We are not under pressure, the referendum was pressure. The referendum was difficult. This is a walk in the park compared to the referendum.

"We are enjoying this, we are going to leave and we are going to win."

The PM's effective chief of staff, speaking for the first time since Boris Johnson's suspension of Parliament was ruled "unlawful" by the Supreme Court, also said it was "not surprising some people are angry" about how MPs are dealing with Brexit.

He added: "A lot of people in Parliament are more out of touch with the country now, than they were in summer 2016."

Mr Major said fears the Government will seek to bypass Statute Law, by passing an Order of Council to suspend the Benn Act - controversially referred to as the Surrender Act by Boris Johnson -until after October 31.

“It is important to note that an Order of Council can be passed by Privy Councillors – that is Government Ministers – without involving The Queen," he said.

“I should warn the Prime Minister that – if this route is taken – it will be in flagrant defiance of Parliament and utterly disrespectful to the Supreme Court.

“It would be a piece of political chicanery that no-one should ever forgive or forget.”