UK PM to outlaw Brexit extension beyond 2020
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was seeking yesterday to outlaw extending the Brexit transition period beyond the end of 2020, as he prepared to put the EU divorce deal before MPs.
Johnson won a big majority in last week’s general election on a promise to “get Brexit done” by taking Britain out of the European Union by the end of January.
A transition period will then follow, during which London and Brussels hope to negotiate a trade agreement before the end of December next year.
European leaders have said the 2020 deadline would be too tight to complete a comprehensive deal, reviving fears of a “no-deal” outcome that could cause fresh uncertainty and chaos.
That was enough to pull the pound sterling lower in late trading in New York.
Johnson held his first cabinet meeting since the election yesterday, welcoming back his ministers after what he called a “seismic” result.
Parliament was scheduled to return yesterday and Johnson plans to put the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill before MPs on Friday, after Queen Elizabeth II sets out the government’s legislative programme on Thursday.
But the government is planning to block the transition period from going beyond the end of 2020.
“Last week the public voted for a government that would get Brexit done and move this country forward -- and that’s exactly what we intend to do, starting this week,” a Downing Street source said.
“Our manifesto made clear that we will not extend the implementation period and the new Withdrawal Agreement Bill will legally prohibit government agreeing to any extension.”
Sam Lowe, from the Centre for European Reform think-tank, said there would a lot of “performance theatre” from the government in the next six months to fulfil Johnson’s Brexit pledge.
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