Humiliations apart, where does this leave Boris and his quest for Brexit?
Brexit Day is approaching yet again on October 31 and Johnson has declared that he’d rather be “dead in a ditch” than ask the European Union for another extension. But in the final days before he “prorogued” (suspended) Parliament at the beginning of September, rebel Conservative MPs joined the opposition Labour Party to pass a law (the Benn Act) requiring the government to ask for just that, rather than exit the EU with no deal. To top it off, the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court then ruled that Parliament’s prorogation was illegal — and so Parliament reassembled.
Humiliations apart, where does that leave Boris and his quest for Brexit? A five-point guide to the chaos.
Assuming that Johnson doesn’t intend to break the law and pursue No Deal, one dramatic — and risky — option open to the prime minister is to resign before the the European Council next meets to discuss Brexit, on October 17. That could lead to Jeremy Corbyn being installed as caretaker prime minister, forcing the Labour leader to deal with Britain’s mess and damaging him in the eyes of pro-Brexit Labour supporters. But it might backfire as well: many (including Britain’s Jewish community) are loath to see Corbynistas in Downing Street under any scenario. But Boris might just employ this nuclear option.
With no Parliamentary majority, and with Westminster deadlocked over the way forward for Brexit, Boris is desperate for a general election. Having barred his party’s Remainers from standing again (including grandees Sir Ken Clarke and Churchill’s grandson Sir Nicholas Soames), Johnson would hope to rule a party made in his image with the stomach to deliver a No Deal Brexit if necessary. In the meantime, Brexit would be on hold.
Create a free account to keep reading.
