TRURO: PrimeMinister Boris Johnson called on France and Germany yesterday to change theirposition on Brexit and negotiate a new exit deal for Britain, reiterating hisstance that he is ready to leave the European Union without a deal if they donot. With Britain is set to leave the bloc on Oct 31, it has less than 74 daysto resolve a three-year crisis that is pitting the country against the EU, andparliament against the executive. "We will be ready to come out on Oct 31- deal or no deal," Johnson told reporters in Truro, southwest England.
"Our friendsand partners on the other side of the Channel are showing a little bit ofreluctance to change their position - that's fine - I am confident that theywill," he said. Asked specifically about meetings scheduled this week withGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, he said:"I hope they will see fit to compromise." Johnson took office lastmonth after his predecessor, Theresa May, failed three times to get parliamentto approve the withdrawal deal she had negotiated with the EU.
He is insistingBritain will leave with or without a transition deal on Oct. 31 although amajority in parliament have previously tried to prevent a so-called no-dealBrexit. Johnson's calls for the EU to renegotiate the deal have so far beenrejected by the bloc's negotiators. That puts Britain on course for anunmanaged exit, which an official assessment published by the Sunday Times saidwould jam ports, increase the risk of public protests and severely disrupt theworld's fifth-largest economy.
In his firstforeign trip as prime minister, Johnson will meet Merkel in Berlin on Wednesdayand Macron in Paris on Thursday. The European Commission, which is leadingnegotiations on behalf of France, Germany and other EU members, said it wasready for a no-deal Brexit and that Britain would suffer most under such ascenario. On Sunday Merkel said Germany would be prepared whatever the outcome.
Ministers inJohnson's Conservative government have played down the leaked no-dealassessment on Sunday, saying the document was old and did not reflect increasedfunding and planning undertaken by the prime minister since he took office.They accuse the opposition Labor Party and others who are opposed to a no-dealBrexit of undermining negotiations with the EU, saying European leaders willwait to see if parliament can block such an outcome before deciding whether torenegotiate the deal.
Parliamentrecall?
While Johnsonlooked ahead to a week of foreign engagements, which includes a G7 meeting inFrance attended by US President Donald Trump on Saturday and Sunday, he facedincreasing pressure at home to recall parliament from its summer break tourgently debate the Brexit crisis. Lawmakers are already fretting that they donot have enough time to stop a no-deal Brexit, and they have yet to agree on aunified approach, which badly damages their chances of success.
Labor leader JeremyCorbyn joined calls for parliament to be recalled, saying during a speech inCorby, central England that "We will do everything to stop a no-dealBrexit". He said Johnson must not be allowed to use parliamentaryprocedure to block discussion of the country's future, referring to concernsthat Johnson could suspend the legislature until after Oct. 31 or delay anational election even if his government fell before that date.
"We dosupport the recall of parliament in order to prevent the prime minister havingsome kind of maneuver to take us out on the 31st of October without any furtherdiscussion in parliament," Corbyn said. His comments added weight to ademand made on Sunday, signed by more than 100 lawmakers, for a parliamentaryrecall to discuss what they called a "national emergency". Parliamentis currently not due to sit until Sept 3, when it will reconvene for a shortsession before breaking up again to allow for annual party conferences.
A governmentsource said Michael Gove, the minister in charge of co-ordinating no dealpreparations, would give a statement to parliament as soon as it returns,updating them on the latest progress. He would commit to give regular updates,the source said. Labor wants to bring down Johnson's government and form itsown emergency coalition under Corbyn's leadership to delay Brexit. Otheropponents of a no-deal Brexit have balked at supporting a plan that would putCorbyn in charge.- Reuters