Brexit day challenge for Boris

Pretty well the first day Boris Johnson took office it has been one challenge after another both to his leadership and to his government. But tomorrow Tuesday September 3 is the start of the biggest challenge of all. All MPs opposing any thought of a no-deal Brexit will try and introduce a tiny piece of legislation to stop Boris going down that route. And then there could be a no-confidence vote or a revolution or who knows what. In anticipation of facing rebels from his own party siding with he opposition, Boris has made this extraordinary threat to deselect them - ie remove them from the list of Conservative candidates to stand at the next general election - if they so much as dare vote with Jeremy Corbyn and co to stop him maintaining his no-deal Brexit option. It's brutal stuff. Boris is no whimp, although I suspect it's his Machievellian sidekick, Dominic Cummings, chief enforcer and ruthless Generalissimo Number 10 adviser who is pulling all the strings. Cummings is a piece of work. At some point he is going to overstep his ruthlessness and infuriate so many of the cabinet and others in the Boris team that he will have to be sacked. But for the moment he rules the roost, wearing his long quilted sleeveless jacket as a sort of in-your-face message to all those who come to Downing Street wearing ties and well-ironed shirts or nicely fashioned blouse and skirt. The Boris warning to Conservative MPs about deselection might frighten some of them into submission but there are nuber of MPs who don't want to stand for reelection at the next election and their determination to oppose Boris will get harder and more ferocious. If this bit of legislation IS passed, banning a no-deal Brexit, then it will be largely as a result of rebel Conservatives. Generalissimo Cummings will be so angry I fear for their lives and livelihoods. Although clever lawyers will probably find a way for Boris to ignore the legislation and push on with his no-deal Brexit as an option regardless. Perhaps an appeal to the Supreme Court, seeking to undo the legslation on the grounds that it undermines the role and power of the executive at a crucial time in this country's history. Judging by Michael Gove's "let's see" approach in his interview on BBC TV yesterday, I'm sure there is a counter-plan up their sleeve, or in the case of Generalisimo Cummings, hidden up his sleveless jacket.