EGX ends week mostly higher on Oct. 16    Egypt, Qatar sign MoU to boost cooperation in healthcare, food safety    Egypt, UK, Palestine explore financing options for Gaza reconstruction ahead of Cairo conference    Egyptian Amateur Open golf tournament relaunches after 15-year hiatus    Egypt's Kouchouk: IMF's combined reviews will give clearer picture of fiscal performance    Egypt will never relinquish historical Nile water rights, PM says    Oil prices rise on Thursday    Fragile Gaza ceasefire tested as humanitarian crisis deepens    Egypt explores cooperation with Chinese firms to advance robotic surgery    CBE, China's National Financial Regulatory sign MoU to strengthen joint cooperation    Avrio Gold to launch new jewellery, bullion factory in early 2026    AUC makes history as 1st global host of IMMAA 2025    Al Ismaelia launches award-winning 'TamaraHaus' in Downtown Cairo revival    Al-Sisi, Burhan discuss efforts to end Sudan war, address Nile Dam dispute in Cairo talks    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Al-Burhan renew opposition to Ethiopia's unilateral Blue Nile moves    Egypt's Cabinet hails Sharm El-Sheikh peace summit as turning point for Middle East peace    Gaza's fragile ceasefire tested as aid, reconstruction struggle to gain ground    Egypt's human rights committee reviews national strategy, UNHRC membership bid    Al-Sisi, world leaders meet in Sharm El-Sheikh to coordinate Gaza ceasefire implementation    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile actions, calls for global water cooperation    Egypt unearths one of largest New Kingdom Fortresses in North Sinai    Egypt unearths New Kingdom military fortress on Horus's Way in Sinai    Egypt Writes Calm Anew: How Cairo Engineered the Ceasefire in Gaza    Egypt's acting environment minister heads to Abu Dhabi for IUCN Global Nature Summit    Egyptian Open Amateur Golf Championship 2025 to see record participation    Cairo's Al-Fustat Hills Park nears completion as Middle East's largest green hub – PM    El-Sisi boosts teachers' pay, pushes for AI, digital learning overhaul in Egypt's schools    Egypt's Sisi congratulates Khaled El-Enany on landslide UNESCO director-general election win    Syria releases preliminary results of first post-Assad parliament vote    Karnak's hidden origins: Study reveals Egypt's great temple rose from ancient Nile island    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Egypt reviews Nile water inflows as minister warns of impact of encroachments on Rosetta Branch    Egypt aims to reclaim global golf standing with new major tournaments: Omar Hisham    Egypt to host men's, juniors' and ladies' open golf championships in October    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UK prime minister doesn't want election amid Brexit crisis
Published in Ahram Online on 02 - 09 - 2019

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson shot down the notion that he wanted an early election to secure Brexit, insisting Monday that it wasn't the way to get a deal done.
Johnson decried parliamentary action set for Tuesday that is meant to delay Britain's departure from the European Union, arguing that it would ``chop the legs'' out of the U.K. position. He spoke moments after lawmakers posted a copy of the proposed bill on Twitter, making clear that they would press the government to seek a delay if there's no deal.
``Let's let our negotiators get on with their work, without that sword of Damocles over their necks, and without an election, without an election,'' he said. ``I don't want an election, you don't want an election. Let's get on with the people's agenda.''
Opposition parties are pledging to challenge Johnson's policy that the U.K. will leave the EU on Oct. 31 even if there is no deal. A no-deal Brexit is considered dangerous because it will sever decades of seamless trade with the EU single market of 500 million, Britain's largest trading partner.
The febrile atmosphere came after Johnson got tough with members of his Conservative Party who opposed his Brexit plans. The so-called rebels were being warned Monday that they will be expelled from the party if they supported the parliamentary efforts.
Johnson insists the potential for a no-deal Brexit must remain an option in negotiations with the EU. The bloc is adamant it will not renegotiate the agreement struck with former Prime Minister Theresa May on the terms of Britain's departure and the framework of future relations.
The deal was defeated in Britain's Parliament three times, largely because of opposition to clauses related to keeping open the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Time is short for lawmakers to block a no-deal Brexit. With 59 days before the withdrawal date, and a lengthy parliamentary suspension in the middle, this week is crunch time.
Johnson, who took power last month with a pledge to go no matter what, insisted that he was not backing down on the promise.
``There are no circumstances under which I will ask Brussels to delay,'' Johnson said. ``We're leaving the 31st of October, no ifs or buts.''
Some of the most important votes are those of Johnson's own party _ particularly those who can't stomach the notion of a no-deal exit. Conservative former justice secretary David Gauke accused Johnson of ``goading'' party members to vote against the government so that they can be ousted in favor of lawmakers who support the prime minister's more extreme version of Brexit.
``It's obviously a particularly confrontational approach and, I think, designed, frankly, to realign the Conservative Party, to transform the Conservative Party very much in the direction of a Brexit party,'' Gauke told the BBC.
Rumors had swirled that Johnson might try to trigger a no-confidence vote _ taking his message directly to the people to seek their support. But because of a largely untried law passed in 2011, he needs the support of two-thirds of Parliament to seek an election.
In this case, that means getting the support of the Labour Party.
Labour might see such support as a trap _ even though the party has been pressing for a general election since Jeremy Corbyn was elevated to leader in 2015. Corbyn urged opposition parties to join together, saying the events in Parliament this week may be the last opportunity to stop a no-deal Brexit.
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned that politicians are at a critical juncture.
``In modern history, there's never been a more important moment for politicians to put country before tribe and national interest before self-interest,'' Blair said in remarks at the Institute for Government on Monday.


Clic here to read the story from its source.