What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Sir John Major has exposed a crafty trick he believes could be used by Boris Johnson to force through a no-deal Brexit.

The former Prime Minister last night claimed the Prime Minister could use an 'Order in Council' from the Queen to override a law that's designed to stop no-deal happening on October 31.

Remainer Sir John declared: "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."

After senior Tories initially refused to rule out the move, government sources later attempted to dampen Sir John's claims.

A senior government source described Sir John's theory as "total cobblers" and a No10 source said it was “the kind of thing that usually has its place in university debating halls”.

“It’s just one example of how some parliamentarians don't understand how legislation works," the No10 source added.

(Image: Getty Images)

MPs passed a law that will force the PM to request a three-month Brexit delay if there's no agreement by October 19.

But asked this week if he would seek that delay, Boris Johnson said bluntly: "No."

Yet Mr Johnson has also claimed he will abide by the law.

Now Sir John Major believes he knows the answer.

Last night he said he fears the government will "bypass" the law using an Order of the Privy Council, made by the Queen on the advice of senior government advisors - and usually used for minor issues.

Government sources insist Boris Johnson will not attempt the wheeze. Boris Johnson's official spokesman today said: “I don’t recognise that at all”.

Immediately after Sir John made his claim, when questioned on it in public, senior Tories did not deny it was possible.

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly, who sits in the Cabinet, did not rule out the move last night.

Mr Cleverly told the BBC's Question Time: "I’m not going to discuss how we’re going to progress with this.

"I’ll tell you why, because what we have seen in parliament is people bending conventions, stepping outside standing orders, making up new procedures on the hoof in order to prevent Brexit being delivered, in the face of the largest electoral event in our country’s history.

(Image: Getty)

"What I’m not going to do, is I’m not going to talk through how the government intends to discharge its business knowing full well there are a whole load of people who will try to distort every procedure we have in British politics to try and prevent that.”

A second Cabinet minister, Alok Sharma, refused four times to explain how the government will both obey the law and still force Brexit to happen on October 31.

He said "we've been very very clear we will comply with the law" and "we absolutely respect the judiciary".

But quizzed repeatedly by BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said "we are leaving on October 31" - while giving no indication how.

He refused to say whether the Cabinet had discussed a way to get round the law - or whether he even knew what it was.

He added Boris Johnson is, despite everything, still trying to get a Brexit deal before October 31 with Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay meeting EU Brexit chief Michel Barnier today.