Boris Johnson vows to take Britain out of the EU on Oct 31 if he becomes Prime Minister
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The Daily Telegraph reports that Boris Johnson has vowed to take Britain out of the EU on October 31 “deal or no deal” if he becomes Prime Minister as his leadership bid received heavyweight backing.
Johnson insisted there would be no further extension of Article 50 if he wins the race to succeed her.
The Party announced that a new Prime Minister will be in place by the time Parliament rises for the summer towards the end of July.
May will remain as Prime Minister until her successor is chosen.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Johnson was calling MPs to ask for their support just half an hour after May’s Downing Street announcement.
Speaking in Interlaken, Switzerland, where he was making a speech at an economic forum, the Daily Telegraph quotes Johnson saying: “We will leave the EU on October 31, deal or no deal. The way to get a good deal is to prepare for no deal. To get things done you need to be prepared to walk away.”
He also suggested Parliament could legislate to make it illegal to revoke Article 50, which he believes will focus minds in Brussels.
A handout photo made available by the Swiss Economic Forum (SEF) shows British politician Boris Johnson (R) speaks next to Swiss journalist Urs Gredig (L) speaks during the Swiss Economic Forum SEF in Interlaken, Switzerland. EPA-EFE/SWISS ECONOMIC FORUM
The former Foreign Secretary, who is convinced he can negotiate a new Brexit deal with Brussels, said “a new leader will have the opportunity to do things differently” as he talked of the “momentum” of a new administration.
His campaign received a major boost as both Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd indicated they could back him, suggesting he could receive top-level support from both Remain and Leave campaigners.
Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, and Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, were among the first to make it clear they will run, together with Esther McVey, who resigned from the Cabinet over Brexit.
Sir Graham Brady resigned as chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs in order to consider his own leadership bid.
The leadership contest will formally begin on June 10, when MPs start the process of selecting two candidates who will go forward to a vote among Conservative Party members.
