Boris Johnson repeats pledge to leave EU on 31 October in first speech to parliament
Boris Johnson has repeated his pledge to take the UK out of the EU on 31 October in his first statement to the House of Commons as Prime Minister.
Johnson told MPs that his mission was to deliver Brexit on 31 October.
“I and all ministers in this government are committed to leaving on this date, whatever the circumstances,” he said. “To do otherwise would cause a catastrophic loss of confidence in our political system. It will leave the British people wondering whether their politicians could ever be trusted again to follow a clear democratic instruction.
“I would prefer us to leave the EU with a deal. I would much prefer it. I believe that is still possible even at this late stage and I will work flat out to make it happen. But certain things need to be clear.”
He continued: “The withdrawal agreement negotiated by my predecessor has been three times rejected by this House. Its terms are unacceptable to this parliament and to this country. “
Johnson, who was appointed Prime Minister yesterday after winning the Tory leadership race by a landslide, called on the EU to “rethink” their refusal to make changes to the withdrawal agreement, which was voted down by parliament on three occasions.
He said a time limit to the Irish backstop – the insurance policy designed to prevent a hard border in Ireland by keeping the UK in a temporary customs union with the EU – was “not enough”, and called for it to be abolished.
The Prime Minister warned that if the EU did not reopen the withdrawal agreement, Britain would come out of the EU without an agreement under Article 50. The EU has repeatedly said the withdrawal agreement cannot be reopened.
He said he had instructed government to make no-deal preparations its “top priority”.
Aside from Brexit, he said he was “working to change tax rules to provide extra incentives to provide investment”, as well as an “economic package to boost British business”.
Britain’s immigration system could be set for an overhaul after Johnson said he would launch a review into an Australian points-based system.