London, Thursday
Boris Boris has promised the “beginning of a new golden age”, as he made his first Commons statement as PM.
Speaking to MPs, Boris said his government would throw itself into Brexit negotiations with energy, while Michael Gove would lead on no-deal planning as a “top priority”.
He also said EU citizens living in the UK would have their rights protected.
But Downing Street was unable to confirm if there would be any new laws to underpin the commitment.
Tory MP Alberto Costa, who has campaigned for EU citizens’ rights after Brexit, welcomed the PM’s pledge, but said “the devil, as ever, is in the detail” and he would be “scrutinising how that guarantee comes forward”.
Replying to his statement in the Commons, Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn said people “do not trust” the new PM to deliver on his promises.
“People do not trust this prime minister to make the right choices for the majority of the people in this The statement came after the first meeting of Boris’ new cabinet, who he said had all committed to leaving the EU on or before October 31, “no ifs, no buts”.
Leading Brexiteer
New secretaries of state include former leadership contender Sajid Javid as chancellor, and leading Brexiteers, with Dominic Raab as foreign secretary and Priti Patel as home secretary.
More junior ministers are expected to be announced later, with further reshuffling due Friday.
The swift changeover of cabinets between the previous premiership and Boris’ saw more than half of Theresa May’s ministers-—including leadership rival Jeremy Hunt— quit or be sacked.
Boris has also held his first calls with other foreign leaders, including Dutch PM Mark Rutte and Australian PM Scott Morrison as well as European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
No deal
Much of Boris’s statement focused on his plans for Brexit. Despite emphasising the importance of preparing for no deal, the new prime minister said he would “much prefer” to leave the EU with an agreement, saying he would work “flat out to make it happen”.
“I believe that it is possible even at this late stage and I will work flat out to make it happen,” he said.
However, he told MPs the withdrawal agreement his predecessor, Theresa May, had negotiated with the EU was “unacceptable to this Parliament and to this country”.
But EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned Boris’ demands to change the withdrawal agreement are unacceptable. -BBC
