City
Epaper

We'll leave EU by Jan 31, 2020: Johnson

By IANS | Updated: November 15, 2019 14:20 IST

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated on Friday that the country will leave the European Union (EU) by January 31, 2020, following the December 12 general election.

Open in App

"There is absolutely no reason why between January and the end of next year we shouldn't complete that free trade deal and have a wonderful new partnership with the EU based on zero tariffs, zero quotas and getting on with all the other ways in which we want to be a pro-European country," Johnson told the BBC Breakfast programme.

The UK is currently due to leave the EU by January 31, 2020, the end of the current extension period granted by the bloc.

"The deal that we'll be doing with the EU is unlike any other deal they have ever done. They're doing it with a state that is already in perfect harmony with their arrangements," Johnson said.

"All we have to do is protract those arrangements where appropriate, come out of regulatory alignment and set up a joint committee so that we can discuss if there are any further changes we want to make, we can discuss those together."

After that, he said that the UK could get on with "doing things differently", on "everything from cutting VAT on tampons... to putting free ports around the UK".

Responding to the assertion that the government has delayed Brexit, the Prime Minister said: "Parliament blocked us, which is why we're having this election. I don't want to have this election now."

His appearance on the BBC Breakfast show was one of the programme's first interviews with party leaders ahead of the election.

A major focus of the election will be on areas that voted strongly to Leave or strongly to Remain in the 2016 EU referendum.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: euukJohnsonbbcIans
Open in App

Related Stories

InternationalStorm Amy Live Tracker Map: Weather Warning Issued as Cyclonic Storm Hits UK; Check Real Time Updates on Windy

LifestyleGanpati Visarjan in London: Videos Show Indians Taking Out Ganesh Idol Immersion Procession With Band

MumbaiUniversity of Bristol Chooses Mumbai for Its First Overseas Campus, Set to Open in September 2026

NationalIndia Spends ₹1.38 Lakh Crore Annually on Edible Oil Imports

NationalTesla Model Y: Is It Cheaper in the US & China Than in India? Full Price Comparison Inside

International Realted Stories

International"Extremely alarming": Priyanka Gandhi urges Centre to take cognisance of increasing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh

InternationalIndia shows how tradition, modern science can advance together: WHO chief Tedros at global summit on traditional medicine

InternationalUS says it is grateful as Pakistan weighs Gaza troop role

International"More than a workplace": WHO DG as South-East Asia Regional Office inaugurated in New Delhi

InternationalJaishankar meets multi-party parliamentary delegations that represented India at UNGA