British Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday came under pressure to immediately recall British lawmakers from their summer holiday so they can debate Brexit.
More than 100 lawmakers have written to Johnson to urge him to reconvene and let them sit permanently until Oct. 31 — the date the UK is due to leave the EU.
Lawmakers are not due to return until Sept. 3.
Photo: AP
“Our country is on the brink of an economic crisis, as we career towards a no-deal Brexit,” said the letter, signed by lawmakers and opposition party leaders who want to halt the UK’s departure from the EU.
“We face a national emergency, and parliament must be recalled now,” the letter said.
The British Parliament is set to break up again shortly after it returns, with the main parties holding their annual conferences during the break.
Johnson — whose government commands a one-seat majority — has insisted that the UK must leave the EU on Oct. 31, with or without a divorce deal with Brussels.
Main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn wants to call a vote of no confidence in Johnson’s government after Parliament returns.
He hopes to take over as a temporary prime minister, seek an extension to the UK’s EU departure date to stop a no-deal Brexit, and then call a general election.
“What we need is a government that is prepared to negotiate with the European Union so we don’t have a crash-out on the 31st,” Corbyn said on Saturday. “This government clearly doesn’t want to do that.”
However, a YouGov survey found that a majority would rather see a no-deal Brexit than the veteran leftist taking over and staging another referendum.
About 48 percent said they would rather the UK left the EU without a Brexit deal, with Corbyn remaining in opposition.
About 35 percent said they would prefer Corbyn became prime minister, and held a second referendum on the country’s EU membership.
Asked about leaving the EU without a deal, 49 percent said they would consider it an unacceptable outcome, while 38 percent said it would be acceptable.
The UK could face food, fuel and medicine shortages and chaos at its ports in a no-deal Brexit, the Sunday Times reported, citing a leaked government planning document.
There would likely be some form of hard border imposed on the island of Ireland, the document implied.
Rather than worst-case scenarios, the leaked document, compiled this month by the Cabinet Office ministry, spells out the likely ramifications of a no-deal Brexit, the newspaper said.
The document said logjams could affect fuel distribution, while up to 85 percent of trucks using the main ports to continental Europe might not be ready for French customs.
The availability of fresh food would be diminished and prices would go up, it said.
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