‘I’d rather be dead in a ditch’ than ask
Boris Johnson suggests he may resign rather than be forced to go to Brussels to request a further three-month delay to Brexit
BORIS JOHNSON yesterday refused to rule out resigning as Prime Minister and said he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than ask the EU for another delay to Brexit.
The Prime Minister spoke out as a cross-party Bill forcing the UK to request a delay to Brexit if no new deal is negotiated with Brussels moved closer to becoming law.
Speaking at a police training centre in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Mr Johnson made it clear he would never make such a request as he hit out at Labour for its refusal to submit the Brexit delay plan to the public in a general election.
Jeremy Corbyn is refusing to back a national poll until the anti-no-deal bill becomes law, although some in his party believe an election should be put off until after Oct 31 to ensure a Brexit delay has been secured.
Asked if he would adhere to the Bill’s requirements and request a threemonth delay to Brexit if no new agreement could be struck with Brussels, the Prime Minster replied: “I would rather be dead in a ditch.”
He added: “It costs a billion pounds a month. It achieves absolutely nothing. What on earth is the point of further delay? I think it’s totally pointless.” Attacking Mr Corbyn for refusing to back his proposal of a general election to break the deadlock, the Prime Minister said: “I think he must be the first Leader of the Opposition in history to refuse to have an election.
“Indeed, it seems to me to be a breach of his job description.
“He is part of the Opposition – he should be actively seeking an election. I have never seen anything like it.”
Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, two-thirds of MPS need to vote in favour of a poll to trigger an election.
On Wednesday evening, Labour abstained on a vote, insisting there was no guarantee that if an election was
‘I think he must be the first Leader of the Opposition in history to refuse to have an election’
triggered Mr Johnson would not set the date until after the UK had left the EU on Oct 31.
The Prime Minister has committed to holding the election on Oct 15, and said it should be down to the public to decide who should be in charge of the UK’S Brexit negotiating strategy.
He said: “Do you want this Government to take us out on October 31 or do you want Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party to go to that crucial summit in Brussels on October 17 and effectively hand over control to the EU and keep us in beyond October 31? I think it’s a no-brainer.”
Mr Johnson delivered his speech flanked by new recruits for the West Yorkshire police force as he sought to project an image that the Government had a focus on issues beyond Brexit.
Repeating his pledge to recruit an additional 20,000 officers, the Prime Minister said: “Safe streets are absolutely vital for our country.” While an election has yet to be officially triggered, the speech – with its nod to domestic issues – was a clear attempt to paint the dividing lines between the Conservatives and Labour in a forthcoming vote.
“The longer we go on, the more dither and delay we have from Parliament inspired by Jeremy Corbyn, the worse this thing will be. What people want to see is a resolution and that’s what we’re going to do,” said Mr Johnson, who will continue his campaigning in Scotland today.
In an echo of his predecessor in Downing Street’s unfortunate luck when it came to delivering set piece speeches, one trainee police officer was forced to sit down while Mr Johnson was speaking, as she felt faint.
Mr Johnson was an hour late for the speech, leaving the group of trainee officers standing motionless in the afternoon Yorkshire sun for longer than intended.