Views: 12 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2019-08-31 Origin: BBCnews
A meeting between those opposed to no deal was called by Jeremy Corbyn.
A joint statement afterwards did not detail how or when legislative attempts would be made, but Green MP Caroline Lucas said it was the best way to stop a PM "careering towards" no deal.
The statement also made clear using a vote of no confidence to bring down the government remained an option.
The UK is set to leave the EU by 31 October and Boris Johnson has promised to stick to that date even if he cannot agree a deal with Brussels.
Ms Lucas said "the legislative way forward" was "the most secure way to try to extend Article 50, to get rid of that 31 October deadline".
How could MPs block no deal through law?At present, the default position in law is that the UK leaves the EU on 31 October with or without a deal.
In April, faced with the possibility of a no-deal exit on the original Brexit date of 29 March, MPs passed a law forcing former PM Theresa May to request an extension of the UK's EU
membership.
Many expect that is what they would hope to do again, but it would require MPs against no deal to first take control of the parliamentary timetable to make time for the law change to be debated.
One way to do that would be to amend a motion debated as part of an emergency debate in the Commons.
Emergency debate motions - topical matters added to business at short notice - are normally considered unamendable, meaning Speaker John Bercow may have to give a ruling
that one is.
Anna Soubry, the leader of the Independent Group for Change, said after the meeting those gathered had agreed how they would try to use Parliament but would not discuss the
details "because we know what we're up against".
What about a no-confidence vote?Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had said his preferred option to block no deal was via a no-confidence vote in the government.
However, the Liberal Democrats and some Tory MPs said they would not support any plan that saw Mr Corbyn become prime minister - even on a temporary basis.
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said a no-confidence vote "remains a last resort, if you like, to be able to enforce the will of Parliament, but the main proposal is going down the legislative route".
Ms Lucas said the option of a no-confidence vote was "still there" if the legislative route did not work, but it was "a more risky strategy".What other reaction has there been?
The meeting was also attended by the SNP and Plaid Cymru.
The SNP's Ian Blackford said it had been "positive and productive", adding: "Parliament must grasp this opportunity, unite to stop Boris Johnson shutting down democracy - and be
ready to use all mechanisms to block a no-deal disaster, including deploying legislation as a priority."
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said his party was "committed to work co-operatively with every other opposition party and do everything in our power to avoid a catastrophic crash-out Brexit".
The Labour leader invited five Conservative MPs opposed to a no-deal exit, but none attended.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, speaking earlier in the day, criticised those who took part, saying they were "very out of touch with public opinion" and leaving the EU without an
agreement was now "the only acceptable deal".