Johnson’s Brexit plan goes to court as EU talks fizzle out

Bloomberg

Boris Johnson’s Brexit strategy has been on trial ever since he became prime minister eight weeks ago, and on Tuesday his lawyers were expected to defend it in the UK’s highest court.
Fresh from being lambasted by a fellow European leader after he opted out of a joint news conference, Johnson will see his decision to suspend
parliament under scrutiny in the first of three days of hearings at the UK’s Supreme Court in London.
It’s a landmark hearing that not only threatens to undermine Johnson’s position as prime minister, but could also curtail the British executive’s longstanding power over when the legislature sits. Johnson could be forced to recall parliament, giving opponents of a no-deal Brexit more room to try to thwart his “do or die” promise to leave the European Union with or without a divorce agreement on October 31.
“People think that we’ve somehow stopped Parliament from scrutinising Brexit, what absolute nonsense,” Johnson told the BBC in an interview broadcast. “Parliament will be able to scrutinise the deal that I hope we will be able to do both before and after the European Council on October 17.”
Johnson’s defiance came after a day of talks that suggested the two sides are no closer to reaching a Brexit agreement.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker complained the UK still hasn’t put forward any concrete proposals and Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel criticised Johnson after he refused to appear alongside him at a conference.
A noisy demonstration, in which protesters could be heard shouting “dirty liar” as music blared, prompted Johnson’s team to ask their hosts in Luxembourg to move the event in— but the request was denied and Johnson decided to leave the chaotic scene.
Bettel pressed on alone and, gesturing to the empty podium next to him, said it is time for Johnson to “stop speaking and act” to find a Brexit agreement. The UK prime minister and his Conservative Party are responsible for “the mess we’re in at the moment,” Bettel said.
“Our people need to know what is going to happen to them in six weeks’ time. They need clarity, they need stability and they need certainty,” Bettel told reporters. “You can’t hold their future hostage for party political gains.”
It was an ignominious end to a day that started with Johnson expressing hope for a deal. The UK is due to leave the EU at the end of October, and Johnson has said he is determined to leave the bloc by then, even if that means doing so with no divorce agreement in place.
Undeterred by the setbacks, Johnson said he is still “cautiously optimistic” agreement can be reached.