Sir John Major said on Thursday evening he feared Boris Johnson’s Government would try to bypass legislation requiring a Brexit extension by using an order of the Privy Council.

In a speech critical of the Government, the former prime minister said the move, which could be accomplished without the Queen’s consent, would be a “piece of political chicanery that no one would forgive or forget”.

He said: “My fear is that the Government will seek to bypass Statute Law by passing an Order of Council to suspend the Act until after 31 October,” adding that such a move would be “in flagrant defiance” of Parliament and “utterly disrespectful” to the Supreme Court.

Sir John raised the hypothetical scenario as a possible explanation for Mr Johnson’s apparently contradictory statement that he would not break the law but would still take the UK out of the European Union by Oct 31, making good on his “do or die” promise.

Under the Benn Act – repeatedly dubbed the “Surrender Bill” by Mr Johnson in the Commons on Wednesday – the Prime Minister must ask the EU for an extension to Article 50 if no deal has been secured by Oct 19.