Anti-Brexit protest in London, August 28, 2019 (Simon Dawson/Reuters)

I joined talkRADIO’s Paul Ross and Julia Hartley-Brewer on Friday to discuss the UK’s constitutional crisis spurred by Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s pursuit of a No Deal Brexit, including his five-week shutdown of Parliament to prevent MPs from blocking the October 31 departure from the European Union.

With Paul Ross: Listen from 12:47 in 0100-0130 Segment

In our 10-minute Week in Review, we summarize how Johnson forced the showdown — which we have anticipated since he became Prime Minister in July — with the tactics of bypassing MPs. We ask if, with the almost insurmountable hurdle set by Johnson, the House of Commons and House of Lords can still stop the jump off the Brexit cliff.

Given that Johnson has always played for a No Deal on October 31, it was only a question of how he was going to get to this without it being blocked — as it was in January and in April — by Parliament.

See also Stopping A Democracy: Boris Johnson’s Road to No Deal Brexit Hell

With Julia Hartley-Brewer: Listen from 8:41 in 0630-0700 Segment

In an update on the tactics of the Johnson camp, we discuss how The Telegraph — “now effectively an outlet” for Johnson — has published a highly-distorted Page 1 story to portray anti-No Deal protests as extremists shutting down the UK.

Whatever you think about Brexit and about No Deal, whipping up emotion with this type of headline — when we’ve got a serious Constitutional crisis involving all sides — is not where I want to go these next two months….

This is just irresponsible, given the serious political and economic issues.

I explain how The Telegraph, and Johnson’s camp, are pursuing this tactic because they may be rattled that — even with their sharp limits on Parliamentary discussion — MPs can clear the high hurdle for legislation to block No Deal.