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Boris Johnson’s sister says family avoids topic of Brexit at meals

Facing pressure from all sides and suffering three big defeats in parliament, PM Boris Johnson has doubled down on his plan for the UK.

Alle McMahon and wires
4 min read
September 6, 2019 - 9:04AM
Boris demands election after Brexit rebellion

Boxed in by opponents and abandoned politically even by his own brother, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson struggled Thursday to keep his Brexit plans on track, and he accused MPs of thwarting democracy by blocking his call for a new election.

Mr Johnson remained determined to secure an election after MPs rejected his attempt to trigger a snap poll, and moved to stop the UK leaving the European Union next month without a divorce deal.

House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg told Parliament that a vote would be held Monday on a new motion calling for an election in October.

It’s uncertain whether it will pass, with opposition parties divided over whether to agree to an election now.

Mr Johnson said he would “rather be dead in a ditch” than delay Brexit any further, and 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.

Earlier, he called the rejection of a snap election “a cowardly insult to democracy.”

Mr Johnson’s determination to lead Britain out of the EU on October 31 faces strong opposition from MPs, including members of his own Conservative Party who oppose a no-deal Brexit.

His brother, Jo Johnson, dramatically quit the government Thursday, saying he could no longer endure the conflict “between family loyalty and the national interest.”

Jo Johnson was an education minister in his older brother’s government, despite his opposition to leaving the EU without a divorce deal.

He said he would also step down from Parliament, the latest in a series of resignations by Conservative moderates opposed to the government’s hard-line Brexit stance.

It comes as the PM’s sister Rachel Johnson revealed on Twitter that her family preferred not to talk about Brexit at home.

“The family avoids the topic of Brexit, especially at meals, as we don’t want to gang up on the PM!” she said.

The comment offered some intriguing insight into the powerful Johnson family, who are wrestling with their opposing views on Brexit.

Mr Johnson said it had been an honour to represent Orpington. Picture: Ben Stansall/AFP
Mr Johnson said it had been an honour to represent Orpington. Picture: Ben Stansall/AFP

“In recent weeks I’ve been torn between family loyalty and the national interest. It’s an unresolvable tension and time for others to take on my roles as MP and minister,” the representative for Orpington said on Twitter.

The prime minister thanked his brother for his service in a statement, but later admitted during a speech in Yorkshire that Brexit was a touchy subject.

“Jo doesn’t agree with me about the EU – it’s an issue that obviously divides families and everybody,” he said.

Rachel Johnson is also a staunch Remainer, having joined the Liberal Democrats in the lead up to the 2017 general election and campaigned as a Change UK candidate in the European elections this year. The Liberal Democrats are in favour of a second referendum on Brexit.

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JOHNSON DOUBLES DOWN ON ELECTION PUSH

Mr Johnson reiterated his call for a general election on Thursday, saying he was sick of “banging on about Brexit”.

“Unfortunately Parliament voted yesterday effectively to scupper our negotiating power and to make it much more difficult for the government to get a (divorce) deal. What I want to do now is give the country a choice,” he said.

“I think if people really think this country should stay in the EU beyond October 31, then that should really be a matter for the country to decide.”

Mr Johnson’s brief honeymoon period as leader was shattered on Tuesday after the Conservative Party lost its working majority and MPs seized control of the parliamentary agenda.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had promised to take Britain out of the EU with or without a deal on October 31. Picture: Jessica Taylor/various sources/AFP
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had promised to take Britain out of the EU with or without a deal on October 31. Picture: Jessica Taylor/various sources/AFP


On Wednesday, they then demanded he ask Brussels for a further Brexit delay if a deal cannot be reached by the end of an EU summit scheduled for October 17-19.

Mr Johnson said he would never do that and tried to call a snap election, but motion was also voted down 298-56 — well below the required two-thirds of MP support.

“[Labour leader] Jeremy Corbyn now has a question to answer,” he said on Wednesday.

“He has demanded an election for two years while blocking Brexit. He said only two days ago that he would support an election. And now, parliament having passed a bill that destroys the ability of (the) government to negotiate, is he now going to say that the public cannot be allowed an election to decide which of us sorts out this mess?”

“I don’t want an election. The public doesn’t want an election. The country doesn’t want an election. But this house has left no other option than letting the public decide who they want as prime minister.”

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn has previously said he’ll support a general election if a no-deal Brexit is off the table.

The bill to block a no-deal Brexit is expected to complete its passage through the House of Lords on Friday.

PROTESTERS TARGET ‘LYING’ REES-MOGG

As British politics remained trapped in a quagmire over Brexit on Wednesday, an image of the Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, slouching in Westminster during a three-hour debate over Brexit was projected onto Edinburgh Castle.

The image, splashed across the historic fortress by protest group Led by Donkeys, showed the Conservative MP reclining with his legs crossed, hands clasped and eyes closed during Tuesday’s debate, above the words “Lying Tory”.

MPs repeatedly told Mr Rees-Mogg to “sit up man” as they debated whether to bring forward a bill requiring Mr Johnson to seek a three-month extension to Brexit, but Mr Rees-Mogg just shook his head.

“His body language throughout this evening has been so contemptuous of this house and of the people … (he’s) been spread across around three seats, lying out as if it was something very boring for him to listen to,” Green MP Caroline Lucas said.

On Twitter, Labour MP Anna Turley called him “the physical embodiment of arrogance, entitlement, disrespect and contempt for our parliament”.

But Mr Rees-Mogg saw the funny side, posting a video compilation of the memes on his Instagram account.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/lying-tory-jacob-reesmogg-projected-onto-edinburgh-castle-amid-frustration-over-brexit/news-story/5ec3663758b5e87222df934fc3dd423e