A conspicuously rattled and tired Boris Johnson – flanked surreally by the police in Wakefield – said yesterday he would ‘rather be dead in a ditch’ than obey the expected new law that would force him to ask the EU for a Brexit delay.
Which carries only two implications.
Johnson could quit as Prime Minister before the EU summit on October 17 and bequeath to some other temporary prime minister the gift of suing the EU for a Brexit delay.
That could happen, but honestly I don’t believe Johnson will ever voluntarily quit Downing Street.
He’s waited for this moment too long.
Apart from anything else, any new PM – presumably temporary leader of a government of national unity – might well offer the EU the promise of a Brexit referendum in order to secure a Brexit postponement, and Johnson would also presumably die in a ditch to prevent that.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate, free for a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.
UNLOCK ACCESS Try a month freeAlready a subscriber? Log in