Ex-prosecutions chief says Boris Johnson could go to prison for refusing to delay Brexit

The former director of public prosecutions for England and Wales said Saturday that United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson could face imprisonment for refusing to delay Britain’s exit from the European Union. 

Ken Macdonald, who served in the position between 2003 and 2008, told Sky News that Johnson could face legal repercussions if he refused to follow legislation to delay Brexit beyond its current Oct. 31 deadline. 

{mosads}He said that a court would order that “the law should be followed,” adding that “a refusal in the face of that would amount to contempt of court,” which could lead to “that person in prison.”

Macdonald continued that this would not be an “extreme outcome,” stating that it is normal to send individuals to prison who refuse to “purge their contempt.”

The comments came after a week in which Johnson saw his agenda face major opposition from British lawmakers worried that a “no deal” Brexit could cause catastrophic consequences for the U.K. economy. 

Johnson came into power vowing to leave the EU even if the U.K. had not yet agreed to a formal plan for their exit. In response, lawmakers moved to pass legislation designed to prevent Johnson from doing so. 

A bill to requiring Johnson Brexit to ask the EU for a three-month extension if a deal isn’t reached by the current Brexit deadline of Oct. 31 passed on Friday. It is set to become law on Monday, Politico noted.

A majority of British voters supported a referendum in 2016 to leave the EU. But the government has struggled to formulate a transition plan, leading to repeated disputes among lawmakers on the correct course of action for the country.