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A8 WORLD NEWS
Friday 6 September 2019
Meanwhile, across the English channel, EU waits

By LORNE COOK Beyond differences of
Associated Press opinion over the pace of
BRUSSELS (AP) — As Brexit Johnson’s “blistering” ne-
recriminations reached fe- gotiations agenda, the
ver pitch in London Thurs- EU is reluctant to consider
day, Britain’s European any Brexit extension be-
Union partners were keep- yond Oct. 31. The original
ing their distance. deadline was March 29
For weeks, they’ve been and that’s been extended
waiting for Britain’s new twice to the current Brexit
prime minister, Boris John- date.
son, to make a concrete British lawmakers are well
suggestion on how to end on course to enacting a
the impasse over their di- law that would compel the
vorce agreement. Without government to seek a de-
any fundamental change lay rather than crash out
of approach, they are without an agreement on
showing little willingness to Halloween; a move with
grant another extension to heavy economic and polit-
Britain’s departure from the ical costs. That delay could
bloc. last three more months.
All they can do in the fe- Commuters walk past the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019. French President Emmanu-
brile atmosphere in London Associated Press el Macron argued in April
where Johnson has lost a been made on the main The commission is running “For all the PM’s bluster when the latest extension
series of votes in Parliament sticking point — how to Brexit negotiations on be- about getting a deal, there was approved that a long
is to continue to wait. It’s maintain a seamless and half of Britain’s 27 European are no real negotiations delay could weaken the
clear that Britain’s depar- open border between EU partners. Andreeva said going on in Brussels, despite EU’s institutions and un-
ture from the EU is reach- member Ireland and North- Johnson’s negotiator David the EU’s door remaining dermine the way the bloc
ing a new moment of truth ern Ireland, which is part of Frost and EU counterparts wide open,” said Philippe operates. He has opposed
that could see Johnson’s the U.K. have “agreed to meet Lamberts, a member of repeated extensions, say-
government fall, a general To most EU ears, Johnson’s again on Friday.” Two fur- the European Parliament’s ing the EU must not be
election next month and hoped-for deal appears to ther rounds are scheduled Brexit Steering Group and “trapped in the Brexit’s un-
potentially a referendum be purely intended for do- for next week, should there Greens party leader. certainty.”
further out on the country’s mestic consumption. be anything to discuss, no- “It’s quite clear that John- Meeting Johnson in Paris
exit. “For the talks to make prog- tably on the Irish border son’s disingenuous strategy last month, he reaffirmed
Johnson has said he would ress, we would need to re- question. is designed to push the U.K. his priority was “to protect
“step up the tempo” in ceive concrete proposals Britain wants the backstop off a no-deal cliff-edge the European project.” He
Brexit negotiations but that are compatible with removed from the divorce and to cement his own po- also told reporters that he
there are few signs of any the withdrawal agree- agreement. The EU insists sition regardless of the costs sees no reason to grant a
progress. ment,” European Commis- it must stay until a better to the British people,” Lam- further delay unless there’s
While the sides are holding sion spokeswoman Mina way is found to ensure that berts said after talks at the a major political change,
technical level talks aimed Andreeva told reporters no hard border is erected assembly with the EU’s Brex- such as a general election
at finding a way forward, Thursday, a day after the between two communities it negotiator Michel Barnier in Britain or a new referen-
no new proposals have first round of technical talks. once plagued by conflict. on Wednesday. dum, to justify it.q

This time it’s Boris Johnson’s younger brother jumping ship

Associated Press ment rather than compete vote in favor of splitting
LONDON (AP) — British Prime at the next election. from the bloc.
Minister Boris Johnson’s bad He said he was “torn be- He is now quite willing to
week got even worse Thurs- tween family loyalty and accept a “no-deal” Brexit,
day when younger brother the national interest” and a position Jo Johnson re-
Jo walked away from his came to the conclusion jects.
government post over their that it was time for some- Sister Rachel Johnson, a
differing stances on Brexit. one else to fill his shoes in journalist and TV personal-
It was clearly a difficult de- Parliament and in govern- ity, is in favor of keeping
cision for Jo Johnson, who ment. Britain within the EU — she
had returned to govern- Boris Johnson said his broth- tweets that the family
ment as an education min- er “does not agree with me doesn’t bring Brexit up at
ister when his big brother about the European Union dinner to avoid ganging up
replaced Theresa May as because it’s an issue that on the prime minister.
prime minister in July. obviously divides families Their 79-year-old father
Jo Johnson had quit May’s and divides everybody.” Stanley Johnson, an author
government last year and The illustrious Johnson fam- and former Conservative
argued that Britain should In this Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019 file photo, Britain’s Conservative ily is deeply split over the member of the European
have another vote over its Party lawmaker Jo Johnson arrives at Downing Street in London. wisdom of leaving the EU. Parliament, has switched
decision to leave the Euro- Associated Press Boris Johnson played a key sides and now backs leav-
pean Union. became prime minister on Jo Johnson — who shares cheerleading role in the ing the EU, although he
His pro-European creden- a pledge to leave the EU his brother’s prominent 2016 Brexit referendum, seems to focus more on
tials stood at odds with by the Oct. 31 Brexit dead- blond hair — also said he helping convince a slight environmental issues and
those of his brother’s, who line — come what may. will step down from Parlia- majority of the country to wildlife protection.q