Boris Johnson has pledged to get the UK “match fit for no deal” as he repeated his pledge to leave the European Union on 31 October “come what may”.
Writing on the BrexitCentral website, the Conservative leadership favourite said there would be “no second chances” and insisted the Halloween deadline was “not fake”.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Johnson wrote: “We need a change of direction. That’s why we must treat October 31 as a real deadline for leaving the EU, come what may, not a fake one.”
He repeated his promise to protect the rights of EU expats in the UK and to place the £39bn divorce settlement in a state of “creative ambiguity” for use as leverage to close a deal.
Speaking of future negotiations with Brussels, he said: “If our friends feel they cannot agree, then we will be match fit for no deal.”
His latest broadside comes after he was warned that more than 30 Tory MPs could rebel to block a no-deal Brexit if he tried to force it through Parliament.
Johnson refuses to rule out proroguing parliament, only going so far as to say that he was not “attracted” to the idea. Yesterday, he added that he was not “remotely aiming for a no-deal outcome”, saying: “That’s not where I think we will end up.”
Sam Gyimah, a former minister and one of the original Tory leadership contenders, told The Times that “30-plus” Conservative MPs were exploring legislative options to prevent a no-deal exit and examining ways to stop the next prime minister from suspending parliament.
Barry Gardiner, Labour’s shadow international trade secretary, has told Sky News that his party was having conversations with Tory MPs about a potential no-confidence motion in the government to block a no-deal exit.
-
Nepal chooses toddler as its new ‘living goddess’Under the Radar Girls between two and four are typically chosen to live inside the temple as the Kumari – until puberty strikes
-
October 5 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailoutTalking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Is Britain turning into ‘Trump’s America’?Today’s Big Question Direction of UK politics reflects influence and funding from across the pond
-
Behind the ‘Boriswave’: Farage plans to scrap indefinite leave to remainThe Explainer The problem of the post-Brexit immigration surge – and Reform’s radical solution
-
What difference will the 'historic' UK-Germany treaty make?Today's Big Question Europe's two biggest economies sign first treaty since WWII, underscoring 'triangle alliance' with France amid growing Russian threat and US distance
-
Entente cordiale: will state visit help UK-French relations get over Brexit?Today's Big Question The King, a keen Francophile who has a warm relationship with Emmanuel Macron, will play a key role in state visit
-
Is the G7 still relevant?Talking Point Donald Trump's early departure cast a shadow over this week's meeting of the world's major democracies
-
Angela Rayner: Labour's next leader?Today's Big Question A leaked memo has sparked speculation that the deputy PM is positioning herself as the left-of-centre alternative to Keir Starmer
-
Brexit 'reset' deal: how will it work?In Depth Keir Stamer says the deal is a 'win-win', but he faces claims that he has 'surrendered' to Brussels on fishing rights
-
Are we entering the post-Brexit era?Today's Big Question Keir Starmer's 'big bet' with his EU reset deal is that 'nobody really cares' about Brexit any more
