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Boris Johnson's controversial adviser believes the Prime Minister will NOT have to ask for a Brexit extension under the new anti-No Deal legislation.

Dominic Cummings, 47, is understood to have a 'different interpretation' of the meaning and effect of the rebel anti-No Deal bill - which is expected to receive royal assent on Monday.

The legislation is designed to force the PM to seek a Brexit delay beyond October 31 if Britain and Brussels have not struck an agreement in the run up to Halloween.

But Mr Cummings, at a special advisers' meeting last night said the Prime Minister will not need to do this, according to Sky News - sparking a fierce debate of how legally watertight the new legislation is.

The way in which Mr Cummings plots to circumvent the legal obstacle was not revealed.

Last night Mr Johnson was urged to break the law and become a martyr by Iain Duncan Smith, with the Prime Minister saying he was only bound 'in theory' by the anti-No Deal law.

It has been revealed MPs have lined up a crack legal team and will go to court if necessary to avoid No Deal.

Today, the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Lord MacDonald, said that should Mr Johnson decide to ignore the bill he could face prosecution.

Lord MacDonald said 'it is by convention that if you are found guilty of defying a court order then you are jailed'.

Dominic Cummings, 47, (left outside his home in London yesterday) is understood to have a 'different interpretation' of the meaning and effect of the rebel anti-No Deal bill - which is expected to receive royal assent on Monday. It comes as Mr Johnson (right, in Scotland yesterday) said he would not entertain seeking another deadline extension from Brussels

Mr Johnson said last week he would not entertain seeking another deadline extension from Brussels, as the incoming law compels him to do so if no agreement is in place by October 19.

Mr MacDonald told Sky News: 'A refusal in the face of that would amount to contempt of court which could find that person in prison.'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told BBC News the party was not taking legal action over the legislation, but said it was 'aware of the actions that are being discussed and prepared for.'

He added that Labour would allow a general election 'when we are clear that there will be an end to the danger of no-deal on 31 October ... We need a clear statement from the prime minister that he is going to abide by that act of Parliament.'

Tory grandee Lord Heseltine said the battle is on for the 'soul of the Conservative Party' as he criticised the 'ruthlessness' of Boris Johnson's government.

The former deputy prime minister, a committed pro-European, said there was 'deep unease' with the way the Prime Minister and his 'zealot' advisers were behaving.

Hilary Benn, the senior Labour MP behind the Bill to stop No Deal, has said the Prime Minister should sign or resign over a deal to delay EU withdrawal, or the matter will end up in the courts.

The member for Leeds said the only solution is the Prime Minister either agrees to sign an extension to stop Britain leaving the European Union without an agreement, or he resigns - and if he does not then MPs will 'seek remedy' before the courts.

Exiled Tory rebel Dominic Grieve lashed out at Boris Johnson for behaving 'like a four-year-old having a tantrum' as he warned the Prime Minister he would be jailed if he ignored Parliament.

Meanwhile Mr Cummings is priming for a general election and is reported to have suggested that Mr Johnson will spend the next five weeks campaigning - irrespective of whether one has been called.

Former deputy Prime Minister Lord Heseltine (left) believes that there is currently a 'battle for the soul' of the Conservative party, while the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Lord McDonald, (right) warned Mr Johnson could go to jail if he ignored parliamentary law

Hilary Benn (pictured in the House of Commons on Wednesday) said the only solution is the Prime Minister either agrees to sign an extension to stop Britain leaving the EU without an agreement, or he resigns

Boris the Lame Duck: Remainers project image of Prime Minister onto Cardiff Castle An image of Boris Johnson dressed as a green duck was projected on to the side of Cardiff Castle, in the latest campaign by Led By Donkeys. The image was accompanied by the words Lame Duck. Totally useless Prime Minister. An image of the Prime Minister dressed as a chicken projected onto Cardiff Castle The image is a reference to Mr Johnson's accusation that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is a 'giant chlorinated chicken'. A video of the Prime Minister has also been cast on to the side of the Titanic Museum in Belfast. The anti-Brexit campaign group also projected a clip of Michael Gove on to the side of Cardiff Castle, in which he makes a speech about the effects of a no-deal Brexit on the farming industry. The 'Lame Duck' projection was a retaliation for a satirical 'Totally Spineless Chicken' poster produced by the Tories Earlier this week, after a picture of Jacob Rees-Mogg lying down in the House of Commons went viral, they projected the image on to the side of Edinburgh Castle, with the words 'Lying Tory'. Advertisement

It comes amid reports that the special adviser had earlier in the week met with Government aides over pizza and drinks, where he was questioned on which seats the Conservatives would try to pick up in a general election. But was 'inconclusive' in his reply, and left attendees 'slightly underwhelmed' over the number of seats set to be targeted.

The new law blocking no-deal will rule out an early election before the European Council summit on October 17 as Labour and other opposition parties want the threat of leaving the EU on Halloween to have expired before agreeing to a fresh poll.

Labour, the Liberal Democrats, SNP and Plaid Cymru met on Friday and agreed to block the PM's election request when it is put to the House of Commons again on Monday.

It has left the Conservative Party at loggerheads over the Brexit crisis after Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested he could disobey the law to bring Britain out of the European Union without a deal.

Debate over the legality of the new bill has been raging today, with Lord MacDonald, 66, the former Director of Public Prosecutions, saying the Prime Minister could go to jail if he does not respect it.

This is because, should Johnson ignore the bill, he could be found in contempt of court.

Asked if it would be 'an extreme outcome', Lord MacDonald told Sky News: 'It is by convention that if you are found guilty of defying a court order then you are jailed'.

Dominic Grieve, a former Tory MP who had the whip removed for rebelling last week, added: 'He can't ignore the law.

'A Prime Minister is subject to the law of the land just like anybody else.

'If he were to attempt to ignore it the government would be taken to court and he would be ordered to send the letter.

'And if he didn't send the letter he would be sent to prison for contempt.'

But Mr Johnson yesterday said he would not entertain seeking another deadline extension from Brussels, as the incoming law, expected to receive Royal Assent on Monday, compels him to if no agreement is in place by October 19.