John Bercow warns Tory leadership hardliners that parliament can still block no deal

John Bercow has warned Tory leadership candidates that parliament can still block a no-deal Brexit.

Speaking in the US on Tuesday, the Commons Speaker speaker fired a warning shot at those in the leadership race threatening to crash out of the EU without a deal.

Contenders like Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab have insisted the UK will leave on 31 October “deal or no deal”.

Mr Bercow said: “The idea the House won’t have its say is for the birds,” adding: “The idea that parliament is going to be evacuated from the centre stage of debate on Brexit is unimaginable.

“The idea the House won’t have its say is for the birds,” says Mr Bercow (UK Parliament)

Agreeing that leaving without a deal was the default position, he said: “There is a difference between a legal default position and what the interplay of different political forces in parliament will facilitate.”

Mr Bercow went on to point out the last legal default was meant to be 29 March, then April and now October.

“There is much debate to be had and policy to be determined and conclusion to be reached.”

He also added that the next parliament were not bound by the last parliament’s invoking of Article 50.

He said: “They can’t be wished away or sniffed at, but these matters were matters decided by the last parliament. No parliament can bind the hands of its successor.

“This parliament can do as this parliament thinks fit.”

“There is a view that says the referendum supersedes anything else. Parliament legislated,” he continued. “There is a view that says that’s it, we didn’t talk about best of three or best of five.

“The only duty of a member of parliament is for he or she to do what they think is right.”

It comes as EU president Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters that there will be no renegotiation on a Brexit deal.

Arriving at a summit in Brussels on Tuesday, Mr Juncker said: “I was crystal clear. There will be no renegotiation.”

The announcement comes as a major blow to several Conservative leadership candidates, like Jeremy Hunt and Rory Stewart who have insisted on re-opening talks with Brussels if elected.