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Tory leaflet leak appears to show Boris Johnson has accepted Brexit delay

Flyer says Brexit Party 'can't deliver Brexit' - suggesting UK will not have left EU by then

Benjamin Kentish
Political Correspondent
Tuesday 15 October 2019 11:50 BST
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The Conservative Party has produced leaflets appearing to show that Boris Johnson has accepted Brexit may be delayed until after 31 October.

The flyers, made available to activists last week, warn voters that supporting the Brexit Party would mean "more delay" because the party "can't deliver Brexit".

The wording suggests that the Tories expect Brexit may not have happened when the leaflets are distributed, despite Mr Johnson having repeatedly vowed to take the UK out of the EU by the end of October "do or die".

The leaflets read: "Brexit Party = more delay, more confusion, more indecision...Nigel Farage can't deliver Brexit, but he could yet block it. The Brexit Party can't win a majority at the next election. The only thing they would deliver is a hung Parliament and more delay and confusion."

"A vote for the Brexit Party makes it more likely that a Remain candidate will sneak through. And that could mean NO party gets a majority. Without a strong majority government, we can't deliver Brexit. And that would hurt our economy. Leaving you and your family to pay the price."

It points out that the Conservatives would have won the recent Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, which saw the Liberal Democrats gain the seat, if they had received the 3,000 votes that went to the Brexit Party.

The warnings reflect fears among senior Tories that Nigel Farage's party would squeeze their vote, possibly costing the Conservatives a majority, if there is an election before Britain has left the EU.

Mr Johnson is desperate to finalise a deal with the EU this week in order to avoid having to ask Brussels for a delay to Brexit.

Under the terms of the so-called Benn Act passed by MPs last month, the prime minister must request a three-month extension if parliament has not approved an exit deal by 19 October.

Mr Johnson repeatedly referred to the 31 October deadline in parliament on Monday, saying: "We should obey the democratic will of the people and get Brexit done by 31 October.

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