British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday said the chances of a Brexit deal with Brussels were “rising” but ruled out any delay to the October 31 deadline for Britain to leave the European Union if no agreement is stru
Speaking to the media outside Number 10 following a cabinet meeting on Monday evening, Johnson reiterated his intransigent stance on delivering a Brexit deal ‘no ifs or buts’.
“I want everybody to know there are no circumstances in which I will ask Brussels to delay”, he said as nearby demonstrators jeered Johnson and shouted anti-Brexit slogans.
The premier said he believed he would be going into the October 17 summit “armed and fortified” to get a deal.
“I don’t want an election, you don’t want an election – let’s get on with the people’s agenda.”
Johnson added that if lawmakers voted to delay Brexit they would “plainly chop the legs out from under the UK position and make any further negotiation absolutely impossible”.
More than three years since the United Kingdom voted 52-48 percent to leave the European Union, it is still unclear on what terms, or indeed whether, Brexit will take place.
The British parliament returns on Tuesday from its summer break and an alliance of opposition lawmakers and some rebels in Johnson’s party will seek to grab control of parliament to force him to delay rather than go for a no-deal Brexit.
Johnson’s enforcers warned rebels that if they voted against the government they would be kicked out of his Conservative Party.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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