Robert Peston Robert Peston

Could civil servants ask the EU for a Brexit extension?

It’s very interesting that former Supreme Court judge, Jonathan Sumption, says a court could authorise a civil servant to sign a letter asking the EU for a Brexit extension, and could rule that the letter is in effect from the Prime Minister, whether or not the PM agrees.

Which sounds like Boris Johnson could be stitched up like the proverbial kipper. Except that I simply don’t know whether the EU27 leaders could and would grant the requested three-month Brexit delay, when the request comes from a state whose government would be conspicuously paralysed.

Robert Peston is ITV’s Political Editor.

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Robert Peston
Written by
Robert Peston
Robert Peston is Political Editor of ITV News and host of the weekly political discussion show Peston. His articles originally appeared on his ITV News blog.

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