British PM Johnson demands October 15 election after defeat over Brexit | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Feature
  • Long Read
  • More
    • Special Stories
    • Top News
    • Companies
    • Environment
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Markets
    • Multimedia/videos
    • Offbeat
    • Opinion
    • Science
    • Social Trending
    • Splash
    • Tech
    • Work & Career
  • বাংলা
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 08, 2019
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Feature
  • Long Read
  • More
    • Special Stories
    • Top News
    • Companies
    • Environment
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Markets
    • Multimedia/videos
    • Offbeat
    • Opinion
    • Science
    • Social Trending
    • Splash
    • Tech
    • Work & Career
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard
British PM Johnson demands October 15 election after defeat over Brexit

International

Reuters
04 September, 2019, 08:35 pm
Last modified: 04 September, 2019, 08:44 pm

Related News

  • Johnson, Corbyn wage Brexit battle in final debate before UK election
  • Britain's Johnson backs digital tax despite Trump's ire
  • Scotland threatens Boris Johnson’s election dream
  • Brexit, weak global demand to hurt UK in 2020, industry warns
  • UK PM Johnson pressured on jail terms after London Bridge attack

British PM Johnson demands October 15 election after defeat over Brexit

Johnson vowed never to delay Brexit beyond October 31 and challenged opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to agree to an October 15 election
File Photo: Reuters

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday demanded an October 15 snap election after lawmakers seeking to prevent a no-deal Brexit dealt him a humiliating defeat in parliament which he cast as an attempt to surrender to the European Union.

Parliament’s move leaves Brexit up in the air, with possible outcomes ranging from a turbulent no-deal EU exit to abandoning the whole endeavor - both outcomes that would be unacceptable to swathes of the United Kingdom’s voters.

An alliance of opposition lawmakers backed by 21 rebels from Johnson’s Conservative Party defeated the government on Tuesday on a motion allowing them to try to pass a law which would force a three-month extension to Britain’s EU exit date.

Johnson vowed never to delay Brexit beyond October 31 and challenged opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to agree to an October 15 election.

“Can I invite the leader of the opposition to confirm, when he stands up shortly, that if that surrender bill is passed, he will allow the people of this country to have their view on what he is proposing to hand over in their name with an election on October the 15th?” Johnson told parliament.

However, he needs the backing of two-thirds of lawmakers and opposition parties are united in wanting to prevent a no-deal Brexit before agreeing to an election.

Johnson said his strategy was to get a Brexit deal by an EU summit on October 17 and “get Brexit done”. He said the British government was making substantial progress and would succeed in removing the Irish border backstop.

The showdown between prime minister and parliament continues on Wednesday, including a vote on the attempt to block no deal.

Finance minister Sajid Javid told parliament he was “turning the page on austerity” as he promised the biggest spending increases in 15 years, a move widely seen as part of the government’s push for an election.

As the three-year Brexit crisis approaches a crescendo, the United Kingdom was edging towards an election as most British politicians see no other way to break the impasse.

The government has scheduled a vote on an election after about 2.00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, but Labour lawmakers said they wanted the block on a no-deal Brexit implemented before any election.

Sterling jumped 1% against the dollar to trade above $1.22 for the first time since Aug. 30.

BREXIT HANGS IN BALANCE

Opposition parties and Conservative Party rebels said they would not allow a no-deal Brexit to be “smuggled” through under the cover of an election.

“We’re not going to dance to his tune,” said Keir Starmer, the Labour Party’s point man on Brexit. “We’re not going to vote with Boris Johnson today to deprive ourselves of the opportunity to complete the business that we’ve just seized control of the house to do.”

Beyond the frantic push and shove of British politics, the United Kingdom fundamentally has three main Brexit options: leave with a deal, leave without a deal or cancel Brexit.

An October election would open up three likely options: a Brexit-supporting government under Johnson, a Labour government led by veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn or a hung parliament that could lead to a coalition or minority government of some kind.

The type of Brexit that emerges from that election is unclear, though there would be little time for a deal before the Oct. 31 deadline. An avowedly pro-Brexit government could overturn any laws aimed at preventing a no-deal Brexit.

In a sign of just how far Brexit has distorted British politics, Johnson’s Conservatives vowed to expel the 21 rebels - including the grandson of Britain’s World War Two leader Winston Churchill and two former finance ministers - from the party. Johnson also lost his working majority in parliament.

In one piece of good news for Johnson, the face of the 2016 Vote Leave referendum campaign, a Scottish court ruled that his decision to suspend parliament later this month was lawful.

“This government is going to get a deal from our friends in Brussels,” Johnson said. “We will get an agreement.”

The EU has refused to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement reached with Johnson’s predecessor Theresa May last November.

Ireland said Johnson has not yet presented any solutions to solve the Brexit impasse and there were reports in British newspapers that Johnson’s top adviser Dominic Cummings had described negotiations as a sham.

When asked on Wednesday if that was how he saw the Brexit negotiations with the EU, Cummings told Reuters: “No. I never said that.”

Related Topics

Brexit / Boris Johnson

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

MOST VIEWED

  • Jack Ma explains his new focus, philanthropy
  • The Netherlands builds ‘solar islands’ to fight rising sea levels
  • ‘Justice loses character when becomes revenge’: Indian Chief Justice
  • United States and Iran swap prisoners in rare act of cooperation
  • Indian FM hints income tax cut
  • Japan regrets trusting Trump on trade

Related News

  • Johnson, Corbyn wage Brexit battle in final debate before UK election
  • Britain's Johnson backs digital tax despite Trump's ire
  • Scotland threatens Boris Johnson’s election dream
  • Brexit, weak global demand to hurt UK in 2020, industry warns
  • UK PM Johnson pressured on jail terms after London Bridge attack

Featured Galleries

Bangladesh

In pictures: Cyclone Bulbul approaches Bangladesh coast

Bangladesh

JU students continue demand for VC’s resignation

Bangladesh

In pictures: All Souls Day

Bangladesh

Karnaphuli oil spill in pictures

Bangladesh

Road safety in pictures

Bangladesh

Probarona Purnima celebration in pictures

Most Read

1
Banking

Moody's downgrades ratings of five Bangladeshi banks

2
Travel

40 countries welcome Bangladeshis without visa

3
Banking

'The financial sector could be at risk of collapse'

4
Education

Buet students show how to do it the non-violent way

5
Economy

Foreign investor sues Bangladesh securities regulator

6
SA Games

SA Games: Bangladesh win 3 golds in karate

The Business Standard
Top
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Economy

Copyright © 2019 THE BUSINESS STANDARD All rights reserved.