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A8 WORLD NEWS
Friday 14 June 2019

Boris Johnson takes strong lead in race for next UK leader

By JILL LAWLESS the Conservatives, he said.
Associated Press EU leaders, however, are
LONDON (AP) — The flam- adamant that the agree-
boyant, divisive Boris John- ment won’t be altered,
son took a commanding and economists warn that
lead Thursday in the con- a no-deal departure would
test to become Britain’s cause major economic dis-
next prime minister, winning ruption for the U.K. and the
by far the largest share of EU economies.
support in the first round Johnson made a failed at-
of voting by Conservative tempt to become prime
Party lawmakers. minister three years ago in
Johnson, a former foreign a contest won by May.
secretary and leading Brex- This time around, his tough
it campaigner, secured 114 line on the EU has won him
of the 313 votes cast by the support of many Brexi-
Conservatives in the House teers in the Conservative
of Commons, a ballot that Party, who prioritize leaving
reduced the field of candi- the bloc above all other is-
dates from 10 to seven . His sues.
successor as foreign secre- He’s also being backed by
tary, Jeremy Hunt, trailed Conservative moderates
with 43 votes, followed by Britain’s Conservative Party lawmaker Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during the official on Europe, who calculate
Environment Secretary Mi- launch of his leadership campaign, in London, Wednesday June 12, 2019. that he’s the most likely
chael Gove with 37. Associated Press leader to win a future U.K.
The result exceeded the Johnson thanked support- The contest is dominated was originally due to take general election in which
expectations of Johnson’s ers and tweeted: “I am by the issue of Britain’s place on March 29, but the Conservatives will be
team and makes him al- delighted to win the first stalled departure from the has been delayed to Oct. squeezed by Nigel Far-
most certain to be among ballot, but we have a long European Union, with all 31 because of the political age’s newly founded Brexit
the final two candidates way to go.” the contenders promising deadlock in London. Party on the right and the
who will be put to a vote Three candidates were to succeed where depart- Johnson vowed Wednes- opposition Labour Party on
of 160,000 party members eliminated. Lawmakers Es- ing Prime Minister Theresa day that as prime minister the left.
nationwide. The winner ther McVey, Mark Harper May failed and lead the he would “get Brexit done,” But rivals argue that John-
will become both the new and Andrea Leadsom all country out of the bloc. either by renegotiating son’s record of misleading
Conservative Party leader failed to reach the thresh- May quit as party leader May’s rejected Brexit deal or untrue statements, ver-
and Britain’s next prime old of 17 votes needed to last week after failing to or by leaving the EU on bal blunders and haphaz-
minister. get to the next round. secure Parliament’s back- Oct. 31 without an agree- ard performance in high
ing for her Brexit divorce ment. office make him unfit to
deal. Britain’s EU departure “Delay means defeat” for lead the country.q

About 20 people injured in

thunderstorms in eastern Germany

at an outdoor wedding
party when a tree branch
crashed onto them in Blan-
kensee in the northeastern
state of Mecklenburg-West
Pomerania.
In Berlin, 11 people were in-
jured when a tree fell on a
group celebrating outside
and an unknown number
of passengers in a convert-
ible were also injured by a
falling tree. Public transpor-
tation was stopped in Ber-
lin for two hours during the
evening rush hour because
of the storm and several
Lightning strikes over a field near wind turbines in Treplin, commuter trains were still
Germany, June 12, 2019. delayed Thursday morning.
Associated Press Swedish newspaper Afton-
Associated Press man in Denmark and caus- bladet said lighting likely
BERLIN (AP) — About 20 ing the death of five horses was to blame for the death
people have been injured in Sweden. of five horses in Vaksala,
in eastern Germany by German news agency near Uppsala, about 70 ki-
gusty winds and thunder- dpa reported Thursday lometers (45 miles) north
storms while there were re- eight people were in- of Stockholm, and several
ports of lightning hitting a jured Wednesday night fires in the area.q