[ritchiebaby]

While I am comfortable in lambasting Boris Johnson for his childish and antagonistic behaviour regarding his two letters to the EU yesterday, I am intrigued as to how he can justify his stance.

In any article I've read on the Benn Act, it has always been stated that he had to send a letter to the EU requesting a Brexit extension, but I've never read that he had to actually sign it. It appears that he has followed this to the letter.
Text of the Benn Act - (4)The Prime Minister must seek to obtain from the European Council an extension of the period under Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union ending at 11.00pm on 31 October 2019 by sending to the President of the European Council a letter in the form set out in the Schedule to this Act requesting an extension of that period to 11.00pm on 31 January 2020 in order to debate and pass a Bill to implement the agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, including provisions reflecting the outcome of inter-party talks as announced by the Prime Minister on 21 May 2019, and in particular the need for the United Kingdom to secure changes to the political declaration to reflect the outcome of those inter-party talks.
SCHEDULE
FORM OF LETTER FROM THE PRIME MINISTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL
“Dear Mr President,
The UK Parliament has passed the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019. Its provisions now require Her Majesty’s Government to seek an extension of the period provided under Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union, including as applied by Article 106a of the Euratom Treaty, currently due to expire at 11.00pm GMT on 31 October 2019, until 11.00pm GMT on 31 January 2020.
I am writing therefore to inform the European Council that the United Kingdom is seeking a further extension to the period provided under Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union, including as applied by Article 106a of the Euratom Treaty. The United Kingdom proposes that this period should end at 11.00pm GMT on 31 January 2020. If the parties are able to ratify before this date, the Government proposes that the period should be terminated early.
Yours sincerely,
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”

Now, I can't believe that, knowing Johnson's and Cummings' standards, the people behind the Benn Act would be so naive and foolish as to omit this basic premise of signing the letter. If so, they are the ones who should be on the receiving end of our abuse. Without wanting to prompt another tirade against the Tory Party and it's individual members, can anyone tell me if there is any legal requirement to have the letter signed?

It will be an interesting spectacle in the Scottish Court Of Sessions tomorrow and probably the Supreme Court shortly.