LONDON – Prime Minister Boris Johnson is sticking to his Brexit plan and will not seek a delay to Britain’s departure from the European Union at a summit next month, two ministers said yesterday despite the latest resignation from his government.
After work and pensions minister Amber Rudd quit late on Saturday over his Brexit policy, the ministers said Johnson was determined to “keep to the plan” to leave the EU by October 31 with or without a deal to ease the transition.
Johnson’s strategy to leave “do or die” by that deadline has been shaken by the events of recent days, which have prompted critics to describe him as a “tin pot dictator” and deepened uncertainty over how Britain’s 2016 vote to leave the EU will play out.
He has lost his Conservative government’s majority in parliament, expelled 21 rebels from the party and failed to force through a new election. Then his own brother quit, saying he was torn between family loyalty and the national interest.
Saturday’s resignation of Rudd – who backed remaining in the EU in the 2016 referendum when Britain voted 52 per cent to 48 per cent to leave – over what she called the government’s disproportionate focus on preparing for a no-deal Brexit has only heightened the sense of crisis. (Reuters)
