Boris Johnson’s foes may try to get Queen Elizabeth to fire him
- Opponents of no-deal Brexit could turn to arcane constitutional trick to force PM from office
- So-called Humble Address could be used to remove Johnson if he refuses to send letter to EU on October 19 requesting to delay Britain’s departure
Politicians determined to stop Boris Johnson from letting Britain leave the European Union without a deal are trying to work out how to force the prime minister from office.
They have hit upon an arcane constitutional trick that relies on Queen Elizabeth to fire him, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Under the plan, a so-called Humble Address could be used to remove Johnson in a day if he refuses to send a letter to the EU on October 19 requesting a delay to Brexit.
A Humble Address is a message from the House of Commons to the Queen as head of state and arbiter of the constitution. This method was traditionally used during Victorian times, but more recently has been successfully used to force the government to reveal details about its Brexit planning.
It could also be used to instruct the Queen to appoint another member of Parliament as prime minister and to form a government. A Cabinet minister, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they had taken their own legal advice that a Humble Address cannot be used to oust the premier.