Facing a cross-party backlash after a bold move to seize control of the withdrawal process, Boris Johnson plans to force a general election next month if he’s compelled to delay Brexit beyond October 31, the day by which he’s consistently pledged to lead the UK out of the EU, deal or no deal.
Over the weekend, Labour said it would propose legislation in an effort to prevent the country from crashing out of the bloc without an agreement to cushion the blow. Johnson threatened to expel Tory members who support the effort, warning it would seriously undermine his negotiating position with the EU.
Ultimately, a draft bill was published by a cross-party group of MPs. It would mandate that if Johnson can’t strike a new deal with Brussels that’s agreeable to Parliament or else get lawmakers to back a no-deal exit, he would have to push Brexit out yet again, this time to January 31.
Long story short, Boris isn’t having it.
“I want everybody to know there are no circumstances in which I will ask Brussels to delay”, Johnson said Monday. “We’re leaving on October 31, no ifs or buts [and] we will not accept any attempt to go back on our promises or to scrub that referendum”.
“I don’t want an election. You don’t want an election”, he continued, suggesting that any successful bid to stymie his suicide mission will be viewed as a vote of no-confidence. That, in turn, can trigger a general election.
Sure enough, senior government officials said Johnson has threatened Conservative rebels with a snap vote on October 14 if he’s forced to delay Brexit. Specifically, he’ll table a motion under the Fixed Term Parliament Act, a person who spoke to Bloomberg on the condition of anonymity said. Boris’s call for an election will come on Wednesday assuming he’s dealt a loss in the Tuesday motion to prevent him from moving forward in the absence of a deal with the EU.
Generally speaking, a general election would probably add insult to injury for sterling – at least initially.
The UK economy is already under pressure. On Monday, the latest PMI data showed the manufacturing sector shrinking at the quickest pace in seven years. As a reminder, the UK is one bad quarter away from a technical recession and analysts are concerned.
MUFG strategists said Monday that the pound may fall below $1.20 and proceed towards $1.10 in the event the government were to win a majority and then forge ahead with a no-deal plan. Of course, “plan” is something of an oxymoron in this context.
Full text of Johnson’s speech
Five weeks ago I spoke to you from these steps and said that this government was not going to hang around and that we would not wait until Brexit day – October 31 – to deliver on the priorities of the British people.
And so I am proud to say that on Wednesday Chancellor Sajid Javid is going to set out the most ambitious spending round for more than a decade.
I said I wanted to make your streets safer — and that is why we are recruiting another 20,000 police officers.
I said I wanted to improve your hospital and reduce the waiting times at your GP.
And so we are doing 20 new hospital upgrades in addition to the extra £34bn going into the NHS.
And I said I wanted every child in this country to have a superb education and that’s why I announced last week that we are levelling up funding across the country and spending much more next year in both primary and secondary schools.
And it is to push forward this agenda on these and many other fronts that we need a Queen’s speech in October.
While leaving due time to debate Brexit and other matters.
And as we come to that Brexit deadline I am encouraged by the progress we are making.
In the last few weeks the chances of a deal have been rising, I believe, for three reasons. They can see that we want a deal.
They can see that we have a clear vision for our future relationship with the EU – something that has perhaps not always been the case.
And they can see that we are utterly determined to strengthen our position by getting ready to come out regardless, come what may.
But if there is one thing that can hold us back in these talks it is the sense in Brussels that MPs may find some way to cancel the referendum.
Or that tomorrow MPs will vote — with Jeremy Corbyn — for yet another pointless delay. I don’t think they will. I hope that they won’t.
But if they do they will plainly chop the legs out from under the UK position and make any further negotiation absolutely impossible.
And so I say, to show our friends in Brussels that we are united in our purpose, MPs should vote with the government against Corbyn’s pointless delay.
I want everybody to know — there are no circumstances in which I will ask Brussels to delay. We are leaving on 31 October, no ifs or buts.
We will not accept any attempt to go back on our promises or scrub that referendum.
Armed and fortified with that conviction I believe we will get a deal at that crucial summit in October
A deal that parliament will certainly be able to scrutinise.
And in the meantime let our negotiators get on with their work Without that sword of Damocles over their necks.
And without an election, which I don’t want and you don’t want.
Let us get on with the people’s agenda — fighting crime, improving the NHS, boosting schools, cutting the cost of living, and unlocking talent and opportunity across the entire United Kingdom.
With infrastructure education and technology It is a massive agenda. Let’s come together and get it done — and let’s get Brexit done by 31 October.
A ‘snap election’ would be healthy as it would be a de facto referendum ‘do over’ on Brexit and likely the quick end of mad Boris’ reign.