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A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 7 august 2019

As UK-EU relations cool, battle looms to stop no-deal Brexit

By JILL LAWLESS cal risk consultancy Eurasia
Associated Press Group. “We’re moving to a
LONDON (AP) — In Brussels situation where there is un-
and London, one question likely to be much progress
is growing louder: Can Boris in August. September and
Johnson be stopped? October are going to be
Britain’s prime minister says frantic. And that’s an un-
the U.K. is leaving the Euro- derstatement.”
pean Union in less than 90 Opposition Labour Party
days, either with a divorce leader Jeremy Corbyn said
deal, or — it seems increas- Monday that he would call
ingly likely — without one. a no-confidence vote in
With Britain and the bloc the government once Par-
each accusing the other of liament returns, to “make
torpedoing an agreement, sure this government is not
pro-EU British lawmakers allowed to take this coun-
are gearing up for a last- try out of the union (EU)
ditch effort to prevent a no- with no deal.”
deal Brexit. But it’s not clear A no-confidence vote has
whether Parliament can a good chance of suc-
halt a prime minister who cess, since Johnson’s Con-
insists the U.K. will leave on servatives have a working
Oct. 31 “come what may.” Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, ahead of official talks with Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas, majority of just one vote,
“In theory it can,” British inside 10 Downing Street, London, Tuesday Aug. 6, 2019. and some Conservative
constitutional expert Ver- Associated Press lawmakers are deeply op-
non Bogdanor told the jected then-Prime Minister and remove an Irish border saddened” that the EU was posed to a no-deal Brexit.
BBC. “In practice it is very, Theresa May’s divorce deal provision that is opposed “refusing to negotiate with If the government lost, it
very difficult.” with the bloc. by Brexit-backing British the U.K.” would have 14 days to
By law, Britain will leave the Johnson says he will “strain lawmakers. The EU says it But EU Commission spokes- overturn the result by win-
EU on Oct. 31 when the of- every sinew” to get a new will not renegotiate the woman Annika Breidthardt ning a new vote. If it could
ficial countdown period set and improved deal. But deal. said the bloc’s door was not, an election would be
by EU treaty expires. he has held no talks with The two sides are accusing open “should the United held.
The original deadline of EU leaders, and has made each other of torpedoing Kingdom wish to hold talks But the Fixed-Term Parlia-
March 29 was extended demands the bloc is almost talks. Michael Gove, the and clarify its position in ments Act — an election-
twice as British politicians certain to reject. Britain in- British minister in charge of more detail.” regulating law introduced
wrangled over departure sists the EU must reopen no-deal preparations, said As tensions rise, Johnson in 2011 — leaves questions
terms and repeatedly re- the withdrawal agreement Tuesday he was “deeply has ordered British officials about what happens dur-
to “turbo-charge” prepa- ing that crucial 14 days.
rations for a no-deal exit, The opposition says John-
setting aside more than son would have to resign,
2 billion pounds ($2.4 bil- and see if anyone else
lion) to hire border officials, could form a government.
stockpile medicines and Opponents of Brexit be-
prepare for backlogs of lieve they could cobble
trucks around the major together a national unity
Channel port of Dover. administration whose only
Many economists say a purpose would be to ask
no-deal Brexit will trigger a the EU to delay Brexit while
recession and cause eco- an election or a new refer-
nomic mayhem, with short- endum, or both, was held.
ages of fresh food and oth- But Johnson’s allies say he
er goods likely as customs could hang on for the two
checks snarl Britain’s ports. weeks, running down the
Pro-EU members of Parlia- clock, and then call an
ment are vowing to put up election for after Oct. 31.
a fight once Parliament re- Britain would automatically
turns from its summer break leave the EU on Halloween,
on Sept. 3. They have two during the campaign pe-
possible strategies: pass riod.
a law ruling out a no-deal That would be controver-
Brexit, or topple the govern- sial, though it’s unclear
ment and replace it with a whether it would be illegal.
new one that will abandon Conservative lawmaker
Johnson’s intransigent ap- Dominic Grieve said Tues-
proach. day that the idea “that if
“The odds of an election you lose a vote of no con-
are rising as backbench fidence you will simply sit
MPs contemplate ways in it out and barricade your-
which they can frustrate self in Downing Street” was
Johnson’s plans,” said Mu- “simply breathtaking, stu-
jtaba Rahman, managing pid, infantile — and it won’t
director for Europe at politi- work.”q