Leader and vocal critic of the Prime Ministers approach to Brexit Ruth Davidson resigns from fight citing and personal reasons. Counsellors and personal reasons. Counsellors and afight and personal reasons. Counsellors and a fight citing professional and personal reasons. Counsellors in england when that funding uncertainty means that some Vital Services for the elderly and disabled are at risk. And mixed fortu nes disabled are at risk. And mixed fortunes for the english clubs in the Champions League, group stage draw. Plans to soup in bottom of the five weeks in the to brexit start today with conservative mps forcing hostility to the mover. The former justice secretary has warned that time is running out for mps trying to prevent the uk leaving the European Union without a deal and that this coming week may be their only opportunity. The government, though, called it phoney and accused mps of trying to overturn brexit. Heres our political editor. Tempers hot, nerves a member of the government and tory mp in cheltenham defending himself to protesters, but not entirely the governments approach. I have made my position clear, ive spoken to the chief whip about it. Time is short but within days, swathes of mps will try to remove the possibility that Boris Johnson could take us out of the eu without a deal. With even Senior Tories on site, they will try to change the law. It may well be that next week is the only opportunity. Im afraid it does look as if our options have now narrowed, and if parliament is going to assert some control, and say, ok, if we leave with no deal, but that has to happen with the consent of parliament, then that would suggest that we need to move sooner rather than later. Is this the moment when polite resistance will become more aggressive action . Well, i hope it will continue to be polite, but i also think it is going to need to be robust. Those who fear the possible turmoil of leaving without a deal seem more determined now, after the Prime Minister caused this kind of outrage by cutting the number of days in the commons mps have to scrutinise whats going on. The official line . Totally routine for parliament to have a breather, to be prorogued, for that amount of time. There is going to be lots of time to debate before 31st october, parliament will be sitting then and will be able to have whatever motions it wants. I think the outrage is phony. One peer in the government quit in protest, and maybe the defence secretary gave the game away. He certainly learned that even at a summit in finland, there are microphones everywhere. When you prorogued the parliament. Clearly, more than it is . Those remarks got a less friendly welcome from no 10, who said later he misspoke. To clip borisjohnsons wings, to outlaw no deal, the snp and others need to Work Together withJeremy Corbyn to get the numbers for a majority next week. What we are going to do is to try to politically stop him on tuesday with parliamentary process, in order to legislate to prevent a no deal brexit, and also to try and prevent him shutting down parliament during this utterly crucial period. The imprecations for this country are very, very serious. So, just weeks into office, the new Prime Minister is up against protests around the country, and many mps in parliament are determined to try and defeat him next week. When they come to vote, the numbers might be achingly tight. But when it comes to brexit, as ever, the difference of opinion is fast indeed. List i just this further with Jessica Parker at westminster. What is your best guess, just got as to what those opposed to no deal will try to do when i get back to Parliament Next Week . Welcome we dont have to guess too much, it looks like opposition parties who are opposed to no deal will certainly try to put forward some kind of legislation, possibly by using an mechanism around an emergency debate in order to try and seize control of the parliamentary agenda. I think a lot of them, though, being a little bit tight lipped at the moment as to exactly what their plans are, what this bill will look like and exactly what it will say, because they dont wa nt to what it will say, because they dont want to give the game away because this is a game of strategy and counter strategy where they have one set of mps trying to stop a new deal brexit and then you have downing street in the government saying that will undermine their negotiating strategy, because the context here is important. Yes, borisjohnson us that he is prepared to take the uk out of the eu on october 31 without a deal if that is necessary, if an agreement cannot be reached but his preference is to reach an agreement with brussels weather that can happen, well a lot of people are pretty sceptical because of course borisjohnson pretty sceptical because of course Boris Johnson wanted pretty sceptical because of course borisjohnson wanted to remove that controversial measure in the Withdrawal Agreement come because youre the republic of ireland porter remains free and frictionless in brussels not showing much of an indication or inclination towards removing it saying the uk needs to come up with a strong realistic alternative proposals. This notion of mps taking control of the agenda, say they did, what then are they looking to do . Is this about putting something in front of parliament that would then force the Prime Minister to behave differently from the way he would like to . We would have to wait for the wording of the bill, but a lot of the discussion is about perhaps looking to do something similar to what they did earlier in the air with theresa may which was essentially try and mandate the Prime Minister to go off to brussels to seek an extension to article 50 and so to delay brexit. With theresa may that effort was successful although she was kind of things were in the motions already in terms of she was going to seek a delay to break separate mps did mandate her to do that with the bill and piece of legislation, interestingly when youre looking at the numbers on that effort it passed the numbers on that effort it passed the house of commons by one vote. Laura was just referring her peace a moment ago to the fact that this could be an incredibly tight to vote and the evidence from the past would suggest that she is absolutely right, could be looking at very close numbers and thats one of the reasons that tensions are running so high and high stakes with it being difficult in the moment to reject the results. Where the possibilities ofa the results. Where the possibilities of a vote . That was talked about extensively over the summer on whether mps would try to no confidence borisjohnson whether mps would try to no confidence Boris Johnson and install some kind of caretaker Prime Minister who would then go off to brussels and say, hey, look can we have an extension will be sort this out and decide what to do next . That kind of started to look less likely when labour came out and said well if youre going to have a caretaker Prime Minister and has got to be Jeremy Corbyn and that proved to be unacceptable in certain quarters amongst those who wanted to stop they know deal brags that, so that has been put on the back burner it seems with the idea of legislation instead coming to the fore but nobody, i think, instead coming to the fore but nobody, ithink, is ruling instead coming to the fore but nobody, i think, is ruling out trying to put forward a no confidence vote but i think thats possibly come at the moment being seen as a second possibility where the first effort will be around this idea of legislation to try and make borisjohnson seek an extension. Jessica parker there at westminster. Several legal moves up launched against the move to suspend parliament to one of them was heard in scotlandox court of sessions today, or Legal Correspondent clive took us there there. The snp mp joanna cherry, just of the qc, along with 74 joanna cherry, just of the qc, along with 7a other parliamentarians, another qc did not mince his words. Do not live in absolutist state. We do not live in a totalitarian state. We live in a state which is limited by the rule of law. Mr oneill went on to say that it was unlawful and unconstitutional for the government to suspend parliament and he requested in order to stop that suspension, also requesting another order that will prevent any minister from advising the queen in the future to make a new similar order to prorogue parliament. Then in a historical and constitutional lecture almost said that the government were bound by the 1689 claim of rights, that is the equivalent of the 1689 bill of rights, and that was the document that really curtailed the power of monarchs and made it clear they could not override the wishes of parliament. It was interesting what mr oneill said, he quoted directly from the bill of rights and he said the fundamental constitutional end of the kingdom is one of a legal, limited monarchy in which the regal power may not be exercised in violation of the laws, liberties of the kingdom and was constitution may not be altered into an arbitrary of a despotic power by advice of evil and wicked counsellors. He then went on to, and instead i hesitate to draw parallels to what happened yesterday with what happened in the 17th century, but sometimes, my lord, it is to what happened yesterday with what happened in the 17th century, but sometimes, my lord, it is too tempting. He was really not beating around the bush in terms of what he considered to be the wrongdoing of yesterdays announcement. For the government the case was really pretty straightforward. It told them that the suspension was a legitimate course of action and have used many times, a law all of the queen to do this and it would be unlawful for the courts to interfere. Essentially what he was saying was look, these are political matters and the courts should simply back off, those of the arguments and we would get the ruling tomorrow morning. With Parliament Said to be suspended next month, how can the opposition toa next month, how can the opposition to a no deal brexit stop such an outcome happening . With me, formal political adviser to ever read and also im joined by a webcam by the chief executive of the cross Party Think Tank demoss, welcome to both of you. Lets pick up or what we we re of you. Lets pick up or what we were talking toJessica Parker about a moment ago, she was talking about a moment ago, she was talking about a legislative route, is that what you think is the most likely here . Yes, i think it is. We seen it happen before with the cooper push a few months ago to try and stop or extend the process, and that happens, i think in three orfour days and so it can be done and i think given that the no confidence in my view is more of a Nuclear Option mps to have to try and find a mechanism in parliament and in a much more constrained timetable now, to try and find a way of stopping a no deal exit. The problem is, eve ryo ne no deal exit. The problem is, everyone is coming from a different starting point, some people who want no brexit and some people want a second referendum and some want to leave but with a deal. The calculations on the government side is that the opposition is very divided and thats why its now time to move. Is that your reading of the most likely events of the course of next week will be . I think it is. Its clear the government hugely raise the stakes about the next few days of parliamentary time with this move. I guess what they may have held off is finding a way to unify the opposition. Because for once, after three years of wrangling and division and debate and dissent between the live remainers and liberal democrats and snp, its possible that this kind of crystallizing of the conflict between the leavers and government or remainders or soft brexiteers outside of the governmentjust kind of sharpens everyones minds. I dont know. The evidence of the last three years is that this kind of ragtag bunch of people are incapable of unifying number to single course of unifying number to single course of action but if anything can make them unify is what the government has done by pulling this and pressing the reset button. But what you are looking towards the end is getting a legislative mechanism past the first hurdle, if you like, but that than have got to put something in front of parliament which requires the Prime Minister to act ina certain requires the Prime Minister to act in a certain way, and the idea that they are going to agree on that is specific wording, thats quite a big ask. Its a huge ask, but theres been rumours of course in number ten threatening they might just been rumours of course in number ten threatening they mightjust ignore even a piece of legislation that would require them to ask for an extension, that they might block a bill in the house of lords by appointing a few hundred hard brexiteer peers and lake doctor farage to buy him off. What is clear is the message from number ten as theyre willing to go to the mattress for brexit and being able to say that, like we will be radical and almost anything we will do no matter whether its legal or sensible, that helps and being able to tell their story that they are the good guys against this slightly tedious establishment who have found themselves forced into talking about process and procedure and using these tedious words. They dont mind if they have to go crazy, just a question of is actually enough . They have the votes . Thats the point, number ten can always turn around of the face of whatever happens here and say look, we are on the side of the referendum result. |j and say look, we are on the side of the referendum result. I think everybody is trying to be the saviour of democracy here and it depends on how you define that. Thats the government position, he is not blameless in this, parliament has not agreed with anything and thats a very much the message and the mps are saying this was about taking things back control for the parliament wire wheat suspending it before this crucial date . I think that conflict will continue, but i think the other key thing is that actually went to the eu think about this . Mps could well votes to extend, but to what purpose . I think people in the eu are very frustrated because they want to know what on earth is it that will pass through the uk house of commons, where is that parliamentary sweet spot . No one is going to know that and then just equally by extending for a few months we will say what for . It may make sense to rely on the uk here, but its just a conversation we are having by ourselves. That has not been tested yet. Are you of the mind that its being exposed back a little . Pushed back in a sense of days. Cannot be pushed back for a long. They have only got days to do anything, i think that will happen will not be the first point of call andi will not be the first point of call and i think the numbers are, i think it will focus minds a lot more. There were people that will have acted, ina there were people that will have acted, in a few weeks time, thinking they will have to act much sooner and again thats not risk because by all accounts they could as well lead to an election and if you have that then you dont have a 14 you have that then you dont have a 1a days to find a new government, the government could try and schedule an election for after the end of october which means that you leave the eu by default anyway. Im not sure how that will really help. When we come back to you on that, mckenzie, not on no confidence but general election. Its hard to see how election would solve these problems, you can make a case to the European Union, is the one where they might grant an extension in order to allow the general election and see if you can come back with the different parliaments, believers are completely right to say there is are completely right to say there is a mandate to leave the European Union but theres also a democratic mandate for the parliament and the people chose both those things. Might the general election resolve that . It might commit might leap with another Hung Parliament but the problem is, if you did trigger a general election its possible it might call it after brexit has happened and the possibility is what you need to do is get what people are calling a government of National Unity and a caretaker Prime Minister who consented timetable for a general election for the constitutional mechanism for doing thatis constitutional mechanism for doing that is very high and it does not really set out a process of how to do it in detail, but also the hyper partisan tribal system of politics we have in this country, for those mps who have built their entire political identity around the membership of the party, its possible that the way herjohnson is behaving might enable people to see it differently and break out of their trouble divides, so they National Identity remains the least possible option out of these scenarios. A brief final work to you both, have either of you seen any sign of movement by the eu . Polly, to your first. No it seemed to me that the relatively from the words we re that the relatively from the words were basically a way of trying to avoid blame if it does fall to pieces so they can be seen as being completely out of it. There is fundamentally huge harm to the eu, the system and if the uk is allowed to use it as a cushion. Similarly i think the mood music does seem better but ultimately the eu are looking to us to provide alternatives options for the Northern Ireland border and im not seeing much of that or at least the government are hiding very well, so until that is resolved i dont think there will be much change. Thank you both very much. Well find out how this story and others, assuming there are room for them are covered in tomorrows front pages this evening in