Britain leaving EU in 10 days despite delay request — Gove
BRUSSELS OFFICIALS PRESS ON WITH PLANS TO RATIFY DIVORCE DEAL
Adefiant British government doubled down yesterday, insisting it would leave the European Union in 10 days’ time despite parliament forcing a reluctant prime minister to request another delay. In a day of high drama on Saturday, MPs in the House of Commons passed up the chance to decide on the revised withdrawal agreement that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had negotiated with the European Union.
That defeat leaves Johnson under mounting pressure.
Late on Saturday, Johnson reluctantly sent European Council President Donald Tusk a letter legally imposed on him by parliament requesting an extension — but refused to sign it. The Conservative leader sent a second, signed letter insisting he was not seeking an extension to the Brexit deadline, which has already been postponed twice, warning that “a further extension would damage the interests of the UK and our EU partners”.
Having failed to back a divorce deal, which Johnson had secured on Thursday, they triggered a law requiring him to write to EU leaders asking to delay Brexit, to avoid the risk that Britain crashes out in less than a fortnight’s time.
Senior cabinet minister Michael Gove, the government’s Brexit planning chief, was nonetheless adamant that Britain would leave the EU on schedule.
“Yes. We are going to leave on October 31. We have the means and the ability to do so,” he told Sky News television.
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The government will bring forward this week the domestic legislation needed to implement the divorce deal, with a first vote as soon as tomorrow.
Separately, it is seeking a new yes-or-no vote on approving the deal today, although this may fall foul of parliamentary procedure.
Meanwhile, Brussels officials pressed on with plans to ratify the divorce deal as European leaders considered Johnson’s delay request. Ambassadors and senior officials from the other 27 member states met yesterday.
“The EU is keeping all options open and has therefore initiated the ratification process so that it can be handed over to the European Parliament on Monday,” an EU diplomat said.
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