Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Britain's new leader Boris Johnson says: "We are going to get Brexit done"

THE Brexiteer, Boris Johnson, who has promised to lead Britain out of the European Union with or without a deal by the end of October, will replace Theresa May as prime minister after winning the leadership of the Conservative Party on Tuesday (23).

His convincing victory catapults the UK towards a showdown with the EU and towards a constitutional crisis at home, as British lawmakers have vowed to bring down any government that tries to leave the bloc without a divorce deal.


Johnson, the face of the 2016 Brexit referendum, won the votes of 92,000 members of the Conservative party, almost twice as many as his rival, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

May will leave office on Wednesday (24) after going to Buckingham Palace to see Queen Elizabeth, who will formally appoint Johnson.

"We are going to get Brexit done on October 31, and we are going to take advantage of all the opportunities it will bring in a new spirit of 'can do'," Johnson, 55, said after the result was announced.

"Like some slumbering giant, we are going to rise and ping off the guy-ropes of self-doubt and negativity."

Johnson said the mantra of his leadership campaign had been to "deliver Brexit, unite the country and defeat (opposition Labour leader) Jeremy Corbyn - and that is what we are going to do".

Within less than half an hour, US president Donald Trump had tweeted his congratulations, adding: "He will be great!".

The men have recently been complimentary about each other - yet Trump is one of the many leaders, including Russian president Vladimir Putin and Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan, about whom Johnson has previously made derogatory remarks.

In 2015, he accused Trump, then a candidate for office, of "stupefying ignorance" that made him unfit to be president.

An avowed Brexit supporter will now lead the government for the first time since the UK voted to leave the EU.

At one of the most tumultuous moments in Britain's modern history, it will be now led by a flamboyant figure known for his ambition, untidy blond hair, flowery oratory and cursory command of policy detail.

The 2016 referendum showed the UK divided about much more than the EU, and fuelled soul-searching about everything from regional secession and immigration to capitalism, the legacy of empire, and modern Britishness.

Johnson has pledged to negotiate a new divorce deal with the EU to secure a smooth transition out of the EU. But if the bloc continues to refuse, he has promised to leave anyway - "do or die" - on the current agreed date of October 31 - Halloween.

Many investors and economists say this would shake global markets and tip the world's fifth-largest economy into recession or even chaos.

The EU said a no-deal Brexit would be a tragedy for both parties but again said the withdrawal deal was not up for negotiation.

"We look forward to working constructively with PM Johnson when he takes office, to facilitate the ratification of the withdrawal agreement and achieve an orderly Brexit," tweeted EU negotiator Michel Barnier.

A Brexit without a divorce deal would also weaken London’s position as the leading international financial centre while jolting the northern European economy.

Johnson's Conservatives need the support of 10 lawmakers from Northern Ireland's Brexit-backing Democratic Unionist Party for even a wafer-thin majority in parliament.

Some Conservative lawmakers have threatened to topple the government to avert a no-deal Brexit, a step that would probably deepen Britain's crisis and lead to an election.

The rise of Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, often referred to as simply "Boris", to prime minister is the grandest twist in a career that has taken him from journalism via TV-show fame, comedy and scandal into the cauldron of the Brexit crisis.

Born in New York, Johnson was educated at Eton, Britain’s most exclusive school, and at Balliol College, Oxford. He began his career at a management consultancy in the City of London but dropped out after a week.

He then turned to journalism, but was sacked from the Times newspaper for making up quotes.

Hired by the Daily Telegraph, Johnson infuriated European officials and delighted then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher by lampooning the European Economic Community with sometimes misleading reports from Brussels.

After entering politics, he was sacked from the Conservative Party’s policy team while in opposition for lying about an extramarital affair. He and his wife announced last year they were to divorce and he is currently in a relationship with the party's former communications chief, Carrie Symonds.

In 2016, as one of the most recognisable faces of the Brexit campaign, Johnson was accused of making untenable claims, most notably that Britain would be £350 million ($440m) a week better off outside the EU.

Yet his sometimes shambolic appearance and disarmingly self-deprecating persona have allowed him to survive both gaffes and scandal.

His embrace of a court jester role has won over many Britons, fed up of what they see as an out-of-touch political establishment too centred on a London elite. He served two terms as London mayor, from 2008 to 2016.

But critics say he lacks the gravitas of a true leader.

"Boris Johnson has won the support of fewer than 100,000 unrepresentative Conservative Party members by promising tax cuts for the richest, presenting himself as the bankers' friend, and pushing for a damaging no-deal Brexit," Labour's Corbyn said. "But he hasn't won the support of our country."

After his victory was announced, Johnson himself told party members: "I know that there will be people around the place who will question the wisdom of your decision - and there may be some people here who still wonder what they have done."

(Reuters)

More For You

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions
Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions

THE Sri Lanka government on Wednesday (2) formed a committee to recommend measures regarding the UK's decision to impose sanctions on three former military commanders who led the campaign that crushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Health minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters that foreign minister Vijitha Herath, justice minister Harshana Nanayakkara and deputy minister of defence Aruna Jayasekara would comprise the committee that would consult experts for the purpose.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gujarat-blast-ANI

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed. (Photo: ANI)

ANI

Death toll rises to 21 in Gujarat firework factory explosion

AN EXPLOSION at an illegal firecracker factory in Gujarat's Deesa town killed 21 people and injured several others on Tuesday, officials said.

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

Child benefit, normally paid every four weeks directly into bank accounts, has undergone significant changes in recent months (Photo: Getty Images)

Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

MILLIONS of British families are set to receive a financial boost as child benefit payments increase from April 7, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

From next week, parents will receive £26.05 per week for the eldest or only child, amounting to £1,354.60 annually - up from the current rate of £25.60. For each additional child, payments will rise to £17.25 weekly, totalling £897 per year - an increase from the present £16.95 rate. This represents a 1.7 per cent increase across all payment categories.

Keep ReadingShow less
Anant Ambani Walks 140 Km in Spiritual Tribute on 30th Birthday

Anant’s padyatra is a reflection of the larger cultural fabric of India

Getty

Anant Ambani embarks on a 140-kilometer spiritual journey on foot to celebrate 30th birthday

Anant Ambani, a director of Reliance Industries Limited and a prominent figure in Indian industry, has chosen a unique and spiritual way to mark his 30th birthday. As part of his celebrations, he is currently undertaking a padyatra—a traditional pilgrimage on foot—from Jamnagar to Dwarka, covering a distance of approximately 140 kilometres. The journey reflects his devotion to Lord Dwarkadhish, the presiding deity of the Dwarkadhish Temple in the city of Dwarka.

Anant began his journey from his family’s residence in Moti Khavdi, Jamnagar, and has been progressing steadily for the past five days. Walking an estimated 10-12 kilometres each night, he travels under the protection of Z+ security and local police, ensuring his safety during this significant journey. The padyatra is expected to take between seven to nine days in total, with plans to conclude at the Dwarkadhish Temple in time for his birthday on April 10.

Keep ReadingShow less
New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

Government urged experts to come forward to help draw up a new five-year TB action plan. (Photo: Getty Images)

New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

BRITAIN on Wednesday (2) urged health experts and sufferers of tuberculosis (TB) to come forward to help draw up a new five-year action plan as it deals with record rises in the disease.

In 2023, England recorded its largest annual increase (11 per cent) in cases since enhanced surveillance began in 2000.

Keep ReadingShow less