More worrying news has emerged over Brexit, as Sky News revealed that Boris Johnson’s Brexit team is less than a quarter than it was under Theresa May.
According to Whitehall insiders, there are now only 24 people working with his top official David Frost on renegotiating a Brexit deal.
That compares to more than 100 officials who worked under his predecessor Oliver Robbins during the height of the negotiations under the last government.
A spokesperson from Number 10 said: “David Frost will be accompanied to Brussels [on his trip tomorrow] by a small team of civil servants with relevant Brexit, trade and legal expertise.
“They will be supported by the UKREP team already based in Brussels.
“The team intend to run through a range of issues with Taskforce 50, including the backstop.”
It means that the Government may not be serious on trying to get a deal and will focus on a no-deal Brexit.
Court documents seem to indicate that Johnson was ready to shut down Parliament, long before he said it could be a possibility.
Boris Johnson had agreed to suspend parliament in mid-August, two weeks before denying the plan existed. The details emerged as a legal action aimed at halting the suspension of Parliament got under way at the Court of Session – Scotland’s highest civil court.
Court documents show that an email was sent to the prime minister and Dominic Cummings entitled “Ending The Session”, which says “we should prorogue” from 9 September.
The note, dated August 15th, was sent from Nickki da Costa, a former director of legislative affairs at Number 10.
An inscription of “yes” was written on the document, the Court of Session in Edinburgh heard.
Downing Street had strongly denied any intention to send MPs home before the prorogation plan was announced.
