As it happened: Reaction as Boris Johnson sends Brexit delay letters

Summary

Boris Johnson has sent a letter to the EU asking for a Brexit delay - but has not signed it
He also sent a second letter, which he has signed, saying a delay would be a mistake
Opposition MPs have warned the PM could find himself in court over the move
The PM is required by law to ask for a Brexit extension beyond the current 31 October deadline
Cabinet minister Michael Gove insists UK will leave EU by 31 October
The letters follow Saturday's government defeat in a crunch Brexit vote

Live Reporting

George Bowden and Francesca Gillett

Watch: Farage on PM's 'rotten deal'published at 09:14 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
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Watch: McDonnell says PM is 'spoilt brat'published at 09:14 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
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Rudd: I'll support 'less good' dealpublished at 09:03 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Sky News
Ms Rudd says it is "not unreasonable" to allow MPs to look at the detailed legislation on the PM's new deal.
She adds that Mr Johnson's deal is "not as good" as Theresa May's previous agreement.
Rudd: I've told PM I'll back his dealpublished at 09:01 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Sky News
Image source, Sky News
Former Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd says she backed the Letwin amendment not for a delay, but for an "insurance policy" against a no-deal Brexit.
The MP says she supports the PM's deal and that she has told him she will back his deal next week.
"I want to support it and I will," she says. "This deal from the prime minister is good enough for me."
Farage does not rule out Brexit Party pact with Toriespublished at 08:57 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Sky News
Mr Farage does not rule out an electoral pact with the Conservatives, saying if the PM argued for a harder Brexit it could happen.
"I just hope we get the chance to have a general election," he says, adding that the Brexit Party is a new party and so it is difficult to know what success in an election looks like for it.
He says he has not decided which constituency he might stand in.
Farage: PM's deal 'is not Brexit'published at 08:53 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Sky News
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage says Boris Johnson's new deal "is not Brexit".
He says the agreement would tie Britain too closely to the EU in future.
"This is a rotten deal," he says, adding that the temptation to vote for it comes from Brexit fatigue.
Farage: Saturday was 'absolute flop'published at 08:52 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Sky News
Image source, Sky News
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage tells Sky's Sophy Ridge that the so-called "super Saturday... turned out to be an absolute flop".
He says the public are "upset" with politicians over Brexit and will want "real political reform".
McDonnell: PM could be in contempt of Parliamentpublished at 08:52 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Sky News
Labour's John McDonnell suggests Boris Johnson "may well be in contempt of Parliament or the courts themselves because he's clearly trying to undermine the first letter and not signing the letter".
He adds sending two letters "flies in the face of what both Parliament and the courts have decided".
In September, MPs passed the Benn Act - a law designed to stop Mr Johnson pushing through a no-deal Brexit on 31 October - which forces him to ask for a delay unless he passed a deal or got MPs to approve a no-deal by yesterday, 19 October.
McDonnell: There is no 'power struggle'published at 08:47 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Sky News
Sky's Sophy Ridge says there have been reports of a "power struggle" within Labour.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell says the reports of a split between him and Jeremy Corbyn are "farcical" adding: "We back each other up".
McDonnell: Another vote would be 'pointless'published at 08:46 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Sky News
John McDonnell says Labour understands the frustration of the public and he says bringing a further so-called meaningful vote would be "pointless".
"The devil is in the detail," he says, arguing that the government needs to bring forward full legislation regarding the new deal.
And he repeats Labour's call on the PM to put the new Brexit deal to the public in a new referendum.
He says: "If Boris Johnson is confident about this deal, put it to the people."
How can Article 50 be extended?published at 08:42 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Image source, Getty Images
As the PM asks the EU for a fresh delay to Brexit, how would a further extension actually work?
The BBC’s Rachel Schraer looks at how Article 50 – the protocol for Britain’s exit from the EU – can be extended here.
McDonnell: This is about trustpublished at 08:40 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Sky News
John McDonnell says concerns about the new Brexit deal comes down to "trust" in Boris Johnson.
He asks whether the PM can be trusted over consumer, environmental and workers' rights.
McDonnell: We want to consider bill 'properly'published at 08:37 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Sky News
Labour's John McDonnell says he wants to consider the new Brexit deal "properly".
He tells Sky that the idea of a "super Saturday" was "simply for theatrical effect".
The MP says Labour will put forward amendments to the bill when it comes back to Parliament next week.
McDonnell: PM behaving 'like spoilt brat'published at 08:34 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Sky News
Image source, Sky News
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell tells Sky's Sophy Ridge that Boris Johnson is "behaving a bit like a spoilt brat" by sending two letters to the EU over the Brexit delay.
What will the EU do with the letters?published at 08:33 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Well, for starters, don't expect any speedy action, says our Europe editor Katya Adler.
She says in theory, Europe's leaders could wait until the morning of the 31 October to hold an emergency summit to discuss an extension.
But right now they are keen to keep up the pressure on MPs.
Read Katya’s analysis here.
Political show line upspublished at 08:32 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
It looks set to be a busy day with strong line ups across the Sunday political programmes.
From 08:30 BST, Sky News’ Sophy Ridge will interview Cabinet Minister Michael Gove, shadow chancellor John McDonnell, and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage.
Amber Rudd, David Davis, Lucy Powell and former Bank of England governor Mervyn King will also appear.
Form 09:00 BST, the BBC’s Andrew Marr will speak to Oliver Letwin, the man behind that controversial amendment which was approved by MPs on Saturday.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will appear for the government, while Labour is represented by shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer.
In full: Boris Johnson’s letterspublished at 08:27 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Image source, BBC/Getty
Back to developments from late last night when Boris Johnson sent three documents to the EU – including an unsigned request for a delay to Brexit, and a signed letter setting out why he was against it.
You can read the letters in full here.
What happened on Saturday?published at 08:26 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
To help you get up to speed, the BBC’s Jonathan Blake explains what happened on Saturday here.
And our political editor Laura Kuenssberg writes about what could come next here.
Good morningpublished at 08:24 British Summer Time 20 October 2019
Good morning and welcome to our coverage following Saturday’s historic session of Parliament, which saw the PM lose a crunch Brexit vote.
We’ll be covering all the big political interviews across the Sunday political programmes and all the reaction throughout the day.