British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing a fresh rebellion in his Cabinet, with a group of ministers poised to resign due to concerns that he is leading the country toward a no-deal Brexit, the Times newspaper reported yesterday.
British Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Julian Smith, Secretary of State for Justice Robert Buckland, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox are all on a “resignation watch list,” the Times reported.
An unnamed Cabinet minister cited by the newspaper said that a “very large number” of Conservative members of parliament would quit if it comes to a no-deal Brexit.
‘GRAVE’ RISK
The Times said that ministers had warned Johnson in a Cabinet meeting about the “grave” risk of the return of direct rule in Northern Ireland and raised concerns about Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s top adviser.
“Cabinet will set the strategy, not unelected officials. If this is an attempt to do that then it will fail,” the report quoted another Cabinet minister as saying.
LIKELY NUMBERS
While the Times did not specify how many Conservative lawmakers oppose a no-deal scenario, the Financial Times reported that at least 50 members of parliament from the party would revolt against a general election manifesto pledging to pursue a no-deal Brexit.
Certain lawmakers from the party are considering running on a softer individual Brexit platform or even standing aside altogether as a Tory candidate, the Financial Times reported.
With just more than three weeks before the UK is due to leave the European bloc, the future of Brexit remains deeply uncertain as London and Brussels position themselves to avoid blame for a delay or a disorderly no-deal Brexit.
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