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Commenting on the proposals, Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform told Yahoo Finance UK: “If what is being reported is accurate – the UK is proposing to both create new infrastructure and impose new checks. Rather than engage constructively, the UK appears to be playing fast and loose with its obligations to Northern Ireland, and hoping that imposing checks 10 minutes away from the border instead of literally on it will make all of Britain’s problems go away. It is difficult to see the EU going along with this.“The viability of the proposals is also in doubt.”

Sam Lowe, of the Centre for European Reform, said that no-deal tariff plans — under which almost 90 per cent of imported products would not face duties — made it “difficult to see” what freeports would achieve.

In a speech to the the Centre for European Reform, Major said he feared Boris Johnson could try - via the privy council - to bypass the Benn Act by suspending it until after 31 October.He said: My fear is that the government will seek to bypass statute law, by passing an order of council to suspend the act until after 31 October.It is important to note that an order of council can be passed by privy councillors – that is government ministers – without involving Her Majesty the Queen. I should warn the prime minister that – if this route is taken – it will be in flagrant defiance of parliament and utterly disrespectful to the supreme court. It would be a piece of political chicanery that no one should ever forgive or forget. Major also accused Johnson of “wilfully” destroying the prospects of cross-agreement on Brexit with his Commons onslaught on the opposition. We’ll be mopping up all the reaction to Major’s speech and covering the other political developments today.

Major said Johnson was whipping up "fear and anger" for electoral purposes - a tactic he described as "profoundly un-Conservative".In a speech to the Centre for European Reform, Sir John said he feared the government could try to bypass the so-called Benn Act by an executive Order in Council, suspending it until after October 31 when the UK is set to leave the EU."I should warn the prime minister that - if this route is taken - it will be in flagrant defiance of parliament and utterly disrespectful to the Supreme Court," he said.

Boris Johnson’s spokesman has insisted the government does not recognise a plan that Sir John Major warned could be used to circumvent the Benn Act, which is aimed at forcing the prime minister to seek a Brexit extension. ...Major had said he feared the government would try to bypass the act through an order of council. “It is important to note that an order of council can be passed by privy councillors – that is government ministers – without involving HM the Queen,” he told the Centre for European Reform think-tank.

Sir John Major last night claimed Boris Johnson will try to use the Privy Council to dodge Brexit extension laws.The former Tory PM fears the Government is planning to pass an Order of Council to suspend the Benn Act until after October 31. Speaking at a Centre for European Reform event at the Spanish Embassy, Sir John said: “My fear is that the Government will seek to bypass Statute Law, by passing an Order of Council to suspend the Act until after October 31. “It is important to note that an Order of Council can be passed by Privy Councillors — that is Government Ministers — without involving the Queen

Former Conservative prime minister Sir John Major has criticised Mr Johnson and warned that a "general election would solve nothing" in the Brexit crisis.Mr Johnson has been calling for an early general election, but under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act he needs the support of two-thirds of MPs. He has twice failed to achieve this.Speaking to the Centre for European Reform, Sir John said an election "would merely fuel the current feeling of disillusionment and disunity".

Former Prime Minister and Remain campaigner Sir John Major gave a speech saying he believed the plan was to “bypass Statute Law, by passing an Order of Council to suspend the Act until after 31 October.” He told attendees at a Centre for European Reform event, held at the Spanish Embassy: “It is important to note that an Order of Council can be passed by Privy Councillors – that is Government Ministers – without involving HM The Queen.”