British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he’d ‘rather be dead’ than delay Brexit
A day after he was humiliated in parliament, Boris Johnson has stood firm in his demand for a snap election, as the British PM’s brother becomes the latest to jump ship.
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised he would never delay Britain’s exit from the European Union, due on October 31, saying he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than do so.
Asked if he could promise to the British public that he would not go to Brussels and ask for another delay to Brexit, Mr Johnson said: “Yes I can. I’d rather be dead in a ditch.”
“It achieves absolutely nothing. What on earth is the point of further delay,” he added, speaking following a speech at a police station in northern England on Thursday (local time).
Mr Johnson insisted that whether or not Britain left the EU as planned on October 31 must be “a matter for the people of this country to decide.”
“I don’t want an election at all, but frankly I cannot see any other way,” he said, flanked by cadets at a police academy on what felt very much like an election campaign stop.
It comes as Mr Johnson’s government said it would make a second attempt next week to call an early general election, to try to break the political deadlock over Brexit.
The day after MPs rejected the first attempt to call a snap poll, senior minister Jacob Rees-Mogg told MPs he would put forward a “motion relating to an early parliamentary election” to be voted on this coming Monday evening.
It would be put under a 2011 law that requires the support of two-thirds of the 650-seat House of Commons, Downing Street said.
A similar move on Wednesday night (local time) failed after the main opposition Labour Party abstained.
Mr Johnson called for an election after MPs approved a bill that could undermine his threat to leave the European Union on October 31 without agreeing exit terms.
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Labour said that while it wanted an election, it wanted the “no deal” bill passed first.
The bill is currently being debated in the unelected upper House of Lords but is expected to become law by Monday.
Government sources said they hope Labour would at that point back an election. However, Labour is divided over the timing of any poll and could still oppose Mr Johnson’s motion on Monday.
Mr Johnson wants a public vote before an EU summit on October 17, which could be the last chance to get a Brexit deal before Britain’s scheduled departure on October 31.
But some in Labour want an election after October 31, which would force Mr Johnson to delay Brexit, thus weakening his support among Eurosceptic voters.
There is also the possibility that, if Johnson wins a majority in any early election, he would have the power to force through a “no deal” anyway.
NEW BLOW AS JOHNSON’S BROTHER QUITS
It comes as Mr Johnson’s younger brother, Jo, resigned as a junior minister and said he would also step down as a politician, citing a conflict between family loyalty and the national interest.
His resignation comes days after the prime minister expelled 21 Conservative politicians from the party for failing to back his Brexit strategy, including Winston Churchill’s grandson, and a former finance minister.
Since taking office in July, Mr Johnson has tried to corral the Conservative Party, which is deeply divided over Brexit, behind his strategy of leaving the European Union on October 31, with or without a deal.
Jo Johnson, 47, had previously expressed backing for a second referendum on whether Britain should leave the EU, but accepted a job as a junior minister in the business and education departments when his brother became prime minister.
“It’s been an honour to represent Orpington for 9 years & to serve as a minister under three PMs (Prime Ministers),” Jo Johnson said on Twitter.
“In recent weeks I’ve been torn between family loyalty and the national interest — it’s an unresolvable tension & time for others to take on my roles as MP (Member of parliament) & Minister,” he said.
Grilled on his younger brother’s exit, Mr Johnson said that Jo had been a “fantastic” MP who believed the government had the “right priorities when dealing with issues that effect British people.”
“[He] is a fantastic guy and was a brilliant minister for science, for universities, did a fantastic amount of good work for us, for this country, in that area.
“Jo doesn’t agree with me about the European Union because it is an issue that obviously divides families and divides everybody.
“But I think what Jo would agree is that we need to get on and sort this thing out.
“What Jo certainly would agree, and I think he has said as much this afternoon, is that this government has exactly the right priorities when it comes to dealing with the issues that really matter to the British people.”
When asked if he was considering resigning himself, Boris said: “My intention as I’ve said just now, is to deliver on the mandate of the people, we have a democracy in this country and when the people of Britain take a decision parliamentarians are sworn to uphold that decision.”
It was not immediately clear whether Jo Johnson would resign as a Member of parliament immediately, or simply not stand for re-election.
He had been an MP since 2010, serving in several ministerial roles.
JOHNSON GETS SMASHED BY UK PRESS
After Mr Johnson’s bid for a snap election failed, the UK press went after the embattled PM.
The UK parliament is considered to be in disarray after Labour abstained from the early election vote, delivering a result of 298 to 56 on whether one should be held.
The result was not enough to reach a two-thirds majority threshold required under UK law.
Mr Johnson blamed the loss on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, accusing him of fearing the polls because “he doesn’t think he can win”.
Labour had been arguing they would not support an election until another bill to stop a no-deal Brexit was signed off by the Queen.
That could happen as early as next week and it was still possible to have an election by October 15, just days before crucial talks with the European Union.
Mr Johnson will be compelled to ask for more time to deliver Brexit if the bill gets passed by the upper house.
Scotland’s The National dubbed Mr Johnson ‘3 Times A Loser’ in their front page that followed, saying the PM had been once again humiliated in parliament.
Tomorrow’s front page: Three times a loser … Boris Johnson suffers more humiliating Commons defeats as MPs refuse to let him have his way over Brexit and an election pic.twitter.com/lKnVi8Mh7q
— The National (@ScotNational) September 4, 2019
Tabloid The Sun backed Mr Johnson, putting today’s failure on Mr Corbyn and asking readers if he was ‘The Most Dangerous Chicken In Britain’.
Tomorrow's front page: Seething Boris Johnson branded Jeremy Corbyn a "chicken" after the Labour leader blocked a snap General Election https://t.co/LtUUcvuyTm pic.twitter.com/EA4XnjhAPu
— The Sun (@TheSun) September 4, 2019
The Daily Mirror reported Mr Johnson had ‘lost control’.
Tomorrow's front page: Boris loses control#TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/TLiHc0mvKu pic.twitter.com/zo17SmoDtX
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) September 3, 2019
They then followed the story up declaring him ‘Britain’s Worst PM’.
Tomorrow's front page: Britain's worst PM (since the last one)#TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/awPz4GMPjc pic.twitter.com/IpFHpkWbKT
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) September 4, 2019
i newspaper wrote Mr Johnson was ‘cornered’.
Thursday's front page: Boris Johnson cornered after day of defeats in the Commons #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers #skypapers pic.twitter.com/u9xzkTpFr3
— i newspaper (@theipaper) September 4, 2019
The Daily Record thought Mr Johnson ‘lost the plot’
Wednesday's Daily Record front page leads on the defeat of Boris Johnson's Government as Tory rebels join forces with opposition parties to try to block a no-deal Brexit with an election now looming in wake of historic Commons vote.#scotpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday @hendopolis pic.twitter.com/F2Q0p8xMHy
— The Daily Record (@Daily_Record) September 3, 2019
PENCE TIPTOES PAST BREXIT TUMULT
US Vice President Mike Pence is used to standing next to a pugnacious, unpredictable leader with no filter and much-studied hair.
On Thursday, he encountered another one as he met with embattled British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at No. 10 Downing Street, where the vice president tiptoed through the Brexit fury that has engulfed the region.
Wrapping up a week in Europe, Mr Pence spent about a half-hour with Mr Johnson, whose leadership at risk amid Britain’s Brexit mess.
The Brexit drama was mostly a whisper as the two exchanged pleasantries and Mr Johnson cracked jokes that largely went over the heads of members of the travelling US delegation.
It was all very pleasant as they chatted in front of reporters at the start of their meeting.
Mr Johnson mentioned the “wonderful time” he’d had in France at a recent summit with US President Donald Trump.
Mr Pence thanked Johnson for the warm welcome at “a very busy time here in the United Kingdom.” “Always busy,” Mr Johnson returned.
Unreferenced was the tumult engulfing Mr Johnson, whose very bad week got worse on when his younger brother, Jo, quit the government, saying he could no longer endure the conflict “between family loyalty and the national interest.”
Mr Pence largely stuck to script, delivering greetings from Mr Trump and saying the president had asked him to assure Mr Johnson that “the United States supports the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union.”
The vice president said Mr Trump also wanted him to convey that the US “is ready, willing and able to immediately negotiate a free-trade agreement with the UK” once it leaves the EU, which he predicted could multiply trade between the nation three or four times.
“Fantastic,” Mr Johnson responded, calling the US. economy “a wonderful, massive opportunity for UK folks.”
The exchange glossed over the long and arduous process involved in negotiating a free trade deal, although Mr Johnson did make note that “you guys are pretty tough negotiators.”
Pro-Brexit British politicians have been pushing for a deal that would give them maximum freedom to strike new trade pacts with other countries, including the United States.
Mr Johnson did press for the removal of US trade barriers on British products including lamb and beef and haggis, a Scottish dish made with the lungs of sheep. He also mentioned trade barriers to shower trays — “would you believe it?” — a term for the flooring of showers.
While Mr Johnson said he would do “everything to increase free trade,” he made clear that Britain would resist any American attempt to weaken the state-funded National Health Service.
“And we’re not too keen on that chlorinated chicken either,” he quipped, adding: “We have a gigantic chlorinated chicken of our own here on the opposition bench.”
The comment, which left others in the room visibly befuddled, was a reference to the US practice of rinsing meat in chlorine at the end of the production process. Opponents believe the practice allows for lower animal hygiene standards and worry what will happen if it’s allowed as part of a trade pact with the US.
Mr Johnson has also used the term to insult opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
An adviser to Mr Pence said that even if some reporters were confused, Mr Pence got the joke.
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