- Boris Johnson Writes EU to Delay Brexit
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, has been forced to request for Brexit delay in accordance with the law, Benn Act, passed by Parliament in September that a three-month postponement should be requested once they failed to reach an agreement by Saturday, 19th October.
Boris Johnson sent the letter requesting for delay an hour before the deadline.
President Donald Tusk, European Council, tweeted shortly after: “The extension request has just arrived. I will now start consulting EU leaders on how to react.”
An anonymous government source said the Prime Minister sent three letters, one a photocopy of the text that the law, known as the Benn Act, forced him to write; a cover note from Britain’s EU envoy; and a third letter in which he said he did not want an extension.
“I have made clear since becoming Prime Minister and made clear to parliament again today, my view, and the Government’s position, that a further extension would damage the interests of the UK and our EU partners, and the relationship between us,” Johnson said in the third letter.
Johnson, who has vowed to exit the European Union by 31, October, was able to strike a draft deal with the European Union last week and expected to win support Parliament support on Saturday.
However, Parliament requested an extension under the Benn Act law passed last month to allow them to explore other options.
The Prime Minister said, “further delay would be bad for this country, bad for the European Union and bad for democracy.”
President Emmanuel Macron of France agreed that further delay will hurt both parties. He, therefore, insisted on the need for “quick clarification of the British position on the accord.” The president’s office said Macron indicated to the British prime minister that “a delay would be in no one’s interest.”
While the EU may offer a technical extension, it is unlikely they will grant three months requested by the British Parliament given the damage done by the delay as most investors continue to hold off from the region until an agreement is reached.