Boris Johnson in race against time to deliver Brexit deal
Boris Johnson will soon deliver his final Brexit offer to the EU as he revealed a major policy shift, after the British PM pledged to overhaul the UK’s immigration system to Australia’s model.
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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will deliver his final offer to the European Union on Brexit today, telling them to take it or leave it.
New details of Britain’s Brexit plans were released early on Wednesday Australian time.
In a major policy shift, Mr Johnson has offered to keep Northern Ireland under some EU rules until 2025.
The Northern Ireland Assembly would decide at the end of the trial whether to stick with EU rules or switch to UK rules.
Mr Johnson conceded there may be some physical customs checks on goods moving between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
But he has ruled out that any checks will be on or near the border.
Mr Johnson will deliver a landmark speech to the Conservative Party’s conference in Manchester late on Wednesday Australian time.
“Voters are desperate for us to focus on their other priorities - what people want, what leavers want, what remainers want, what the whole world wants - is to move on,” he will say.
“That is why we are coming out of the EU on October 31. Let’s get Brexit done - we can, we must and we will.”
Mr Johnson will also take aim at Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn saying he wanted to delay Brexit and offer Scotland another referendum on independence.
“Can you imagine another three years of this? That is the Corbyn agenda - stay in the EU beyond October 31, paying a billion pounds a month for the privilege, followed by years of uncertainty for business and everyone else,” Mr Johnson will say.
He will also say that Scotland may separate from the UK if negotiations fail.
Mr Johnson also accepted that the suggestion of physical checks was a break in the UK’s negotiating position.
“I won’t deny that this is the tough bit,” he said on Sky News UK.
“You can’t make both things work at once. You have to accept that you have got to change.”
Mr Johnson was required to seek an extension to Brexit on October 19 if he cannot get a deal in what he described as a “surrender law.”
It was unclear how he could avoid a Brexit delay, without breaking the law.
Irish Premier Leo Varadkar said yesterday: “People here don’t want a customs border between north and south and no British government should seek to impose customs posts against the will of the people on the island of Ireland.”
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AUSSIE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM A MODEL FOR UK
Mr Johnson’s Home Secretary confirmed that Britain will introduce an Australian-style points-based immigration system once it leaves the European Union.
He will try to get MPs behind his plans for a deal, or continue efforts to crash out of the European Union on October 31 without a deal.
The UK Prime Minister has staked his political career on sorting out the Brexit mess and his speech will be a key rallying point.
It comes after Britain’s Home Secretary Priti Patel told the conference early Wednesday Australian time that the Conservatives would “end the free movement of people once and for all.”
“Instead we will introduce an Australian-style points-based immigration system,” she said, confirming the policy.
“One that works in the best interests of Britain. One that attracts and welcomes the brightest and the best. One that supports brilliant scientists, the finest academics and leading people in their fields. And one that is under the control of the British Government.”
The points system scores potential migrants across a number of factors.
Her speech came amid tensions and a comedy of errors at the party conference.
Senior Conservative MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown was kicked out of the conference for clashing with security after his fiancee was refused entry for not having the correct pass.
A Conservative spokesman said the incident was “totally unacceptable.”
And Mr Johnson was caught between warring staffers when one gave him a cup of coffee, only for another to snatch it from his hands seconds later because it was in a disposable cup.
As captured by a Channel 4 News cameraman, Boris Johnson was handed a coffee cup by one of his handlers, only for another to immediately take it away, saying "No. Disposable. Cups".
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) October 1, 2019
The government says it will ensure all disposable coffee cups in the UK are recyclable by 2023. pic.twitter.com/K3XQu8teLa
Mr Johnson later tweeted a picture of himself with a coffee in a ceramic cup, making light of the awkward moment with his environmentally conscious staff member that was caught on camera.
I got my coffee in the end. pic.twitter.com/F5cDVZHhHA
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) October 1, 2019
Meanwhile, Mr Johnson said it was a “reality” there would be some checks on trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland, which remains part of the UK, after Brexit.
“In the end a sovereign, united country must have a single customs territory. When the UK withdraws from the EU that must be the state of affairs,” he told the BBC.
There was a suggestion that checks could be five miles, or 8km from the border, which Ireland has rejected.
The defiant PM is sticking with his threat of a no-deal Brexit, which would hurt both the UK and European economies.
Germany was predicted to be against a no-deal Brexit, but needs all 27 EU countries to back an extension to the deadline until January 31.
If one country sides with Britain, the EU could refuse an extension and Mr Johnson would get a no-deal Brexit.
Mr Johnson was required to seek an extension to Brexit on October 19 if he cannot get a deal in what he described as a “surrender law.”
Irish Premier Leo Varadkar said yesterday: “People here don’t want a customs border between north and south and no British government should seek to impose customs posts against the will of the people on the island of Ireland.”
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST UK PM’S PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR
Mr Johnson has been battling claims about his personal behaviour while he tries to get Brexit done.
He refused to answer three times when asked on Sky News UK whether he had an affair with businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri, whose companies received grants when he was London mayor.
“I have said what I have to say about that matter, I’m very, very proud of everything we did in London,” he said.
“In terms of promoting London, everything was done with complete propriety.”
It is also alleged Mr Johnson squeezed the thigh of journalist Charlotte Edwardes during a lunch when he was editor at The Spectator in 1999.
He claimed on UK radio station LBC that the accusations had only surfaced because of his plans to leave the EU without a deal.
He said Ms Edwardes’ allegations were “not true” and said it was “very sad” that someone should make such claims.
“I don’t want to impugn people’s motives or to minimise the importance of the issue. All I can say is that allegation is certainly not true,” he said.
“And I think, generally — you asked me about why is all this shot and shell raining down on the Government — I think it is because we’re going to get on and deliver Brexit by October 31.”
Originally published as Boris Johnson in race against time to deliver Brexit deal