BORIS Johnson could challenge emergency legislation designed to avoid a no-deal Brexit in the UK Supreme Court, Dominic Raab has hinted.

The Foreign Secretary said the government planned to “test to the limit” what was lawfully required in light of MPs passing a law that could compel it to delay Brexit.

The SNP said the government was acting like "a bunch of cowboys".

MPs last week seized control of the Commons order paper to pass a Bill designed to force the Prime Minister to seek an extension if there was no agreed deal by October 19.

The legislation, which is expected to receive Royal Assent and become law tomorrow, would require the PM to ask Brussels for a delay until at least January 31.

Mr Johnson has said he would refuse to seek such a delay, leading to speculation he might try to break the law or resign instead.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland QC revealed he had been forced to remind the Prime Minister about obeying the law over the weekend.

It was also reported both he and the government’s top law officer, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox QC, intended to if the PM acted illegally.

Mr Buckland tweeted: “Speculation about my future is wide of the mark. I fully support the Prime Minister and will continue to serve in his Cabinet.

“We have spoken over the past 24 hours regarding the importance of the Rule of Law, which I as Lord Chancellor have taken an oath to uphold.”

On Sophie Ridge on Sunday on Sky News, Mr Raab said the government would obey the strict letter of the law, but suggested it was also looking for a loophole or to overturn it at the UK's highest constitutional court.

He said: “We will adhere to the law but we will also, because this is such a bad piece of legislation, the Surrender Bill that Jeremy Corbyn backed, we will also want to test to the limit what it does actually lawfully require.”

Asked what he meant, he said: “We will look very carefully at the implications and our interpretation of it.”

Asked if he meant in the courts, he said: “Across the board we will look very carefully, legally, at what it requires and what it doesn’t require.

“I think that’s not only the lawful thing to do, it’s also the responsible thing to do.”

Speculation about my future is wide of the mark. I fully support the Prime Minister and will continue to serve in his Cabinet. We have spoken over the past 24 hours regarding the importance of the Rule of Law, which I as Lord Chancellor have taken an oath to uphold. — Robert Buckland QC MP (@RobertBuckland) September 8, 2019

Pressed again on whether he was prepared to take the law to the courts to test it, Mr Raab said: “We can’t necessarily control that. People at various points challenged the government over Brexit. We had two legal challenges last week alone, but we won both of those.

“These things need to be looked at very carefully.”

Mr Rraab was referring to parallel cases at the High Court in London and the Court of Session in Edinburgh in which campaigners challenged the PM’s five-week prorogation of parliament.

Both were rejected at first instance, but are now being appealed.

Judges at the Court of Session’s Inner House are due to give their opinion on Wednesday.

Regardless of outcome, both cases are expected to proceed to the UK Supreme Court on September 17 for a definitive ruling.

Asked if the Government would ignore the law and then try to defend itself in court, Mr Raab said: “That’s not what I said. What I said was we’re going to look at it very carefully. Test what it legally requires and what it doesn’t require, and that’s the responsible thing to do because it’s such a bad piece of legislation.”

Shadow attorney general and Labour peer Baroness Chakrabarti called the government's position "extraordinary and irresponsible".

She told the same show: "I think the position is irresponsible and elitist - the idea there's one law for Boris Johnson and his mates and another law for everyone else, it's appalling."

She added: "Every tin pot dictator on the planet throughout history has used the excuse of having the people on their side to break the law, to shut down Parliament, and all the rest of it.

"It's absolutely extraordinary and I think it's very un-British…"

She said the emergency legislation was "crystal clear" and Mr Johnson was "personally" duty-bound to comply with it.

On BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Chancellor Sajid Javid also said the Government would obey the law, but not seek a Brexit extension.

He said: "Of course this government will obey the law. We are going to continue to work towards exit on 31 October. We will leave on 31 October.

"We will be consistent with obeying the law but also sticking to our policy, and you will have to wait and see what happens because there is a lot of days between now and 19 October."

Amber Rudd, who quit the cabinet and surrendered the Conservative whip on Saturday, said the government "must obey the law".

The former work and pensions secretary told the Marr Show: "This government and any government must obey the law."

SNP MP Stephen Gethins said: "Scotland will not be bullied by Boris Johnson and his undemocratic threats to impose an extreme Brexit against the will of parliament and the people.

"The Tories are behaving like a bunch of cowboys by attempting to subvert the law, intimidate opponents, and pull every trick to railroad their reckless Brexit plans through.

"This is not normal behaviour in a democracy. The SNP will stand firm, and continue to stand up for Scotland's interests and our overwhelming decision to remain in the EU.

"Scotland has been completely ignored by Westminster throughout the Brexit process. Crashing out of the EU would be devastating for Scotland - with the potential to destroy 100,000 Scottish jobs and inflict lasting harm on living standards, public services and the economy."

"Once the threat of No-deal is off the table, it is clear there must be an early election. The SNP will put Scotland's opposition to Brexit and our right to choose our own future as an independent nation at the heart of that contest."



