UK will leave EU this month, British ministers insist
Ministers insist the UK will leave the EU by 31 October, despite a letter sent to Brussels asking for a delay.
Boris Johnson sent the letter – unsigned – after a major setback in the Commons to his Brexit strategy.
But the request was accompanied by a second letter, signed by the PM, saying he believed a delay would be a mistake.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the PM had “proved the doubters wrong” by getting a new deal and he was confident Brexit would still happen on Halloween.
His colleague, Michael Gove, told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge the government had “the means and ability” to leave on 31 October.
EU Council President Donald Tusk has acknowledged receipt of the UK’s extension request and said he would consult EU leaders “on how to react”.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said on Sunday a short delay to Brexit in order to hold a national election would be better than accepting Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s deal.
“I want to leave on the 31 of October, but I’ll warn everybody that if this treaty goes through nothing will have changed at all, and I think far better to have a short delay and a general election where we might solve this,” Farage told Sky News, adding that Johnson’s deal was “rotten” and “not Brexit”.
