Two letters sent, with legally-required one unsigned and sent by diplomat
Boris Johnson will face contempt of court proceedings next week after sending not one, but two letters to the European Union tonight following yet another parliamentary defeat over the ‘Letwin amendment’.
The Letwin motion required him to do so in order to allow all legislation relating to his deal to be passed before the deal is formalised.
Johnson sent an unsigned letter to the EU via a diplomat to ask for an extension – while sending a signed letter telling the EU that to grant one would be ‘deeply corrosive’:
But during the recent Scottish court case brought against the government, Johnson ‘promised the court in his own name’ that he would not try to ‘frustrate’ the legislation requiring him to send the extension request by, for example – sending two letters with one contradicting the other. Doing so would constitute ‘contempt of court’, as lawyer Jolyon Maugham told Sky News earlier this month:
Maugham confirmed on social media this evening that the parties involved will bring contempt proceedings against Johnson if he failed in his legal obligations:
Johnson’s tactics are reminiscent of a lazy pupil trying to pull a ruse to get out of detention or a homework deadline – but contempt of court is punishable in Scotland by imprisonment for up to two years.
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