Brittiska ”superlördagen” – det här står på spel

The European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019, also known as the Benn Act after its parliamentary sponsor Hilary Benn, is an Act of Parliament that requires the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to seek an extension to the Brexit withdrawal date—currently scheduled for 31 October 2019—in certain circumstances. The main provisions of the Act are triggered if the House of Commons does not give its consent to either a withdrawal agreement or leaving without a deal by 19 October 2019. The Act proposes a new withdrawal date of 31 January 2020, which the Prime Minister is obliged to accept if the proposal is accepted by the European Council. The Act also contains provisions that detail the course of action if an alternative date is proposed by the European Council, require regular reports on the progress of any negotiations between the EU and the UK, and set out the format of the letter the Prime Minister is required to send to the President of the European Council should he be required to seek an extension. It also removes the discretion of the Prime Minister not to amend exit day in response to an extension. The Act was given Royal Assent on 9 September 2019 and commenced the same day. The bill was proposed by opposition and backbench MPs after Boris Johnson became Prime Minister. It was passed after they took control of the parliamentary agenda in the run-up to the controversial—and later ruled void—prorogation of Parliament. The Government fiercely opposed the bill, and Boris Johnson has repeatedly referred to the Act as the "Surrender Act". The Government has been suspected of examining options on how to nullify the Act's effect.