City
Epaper

Will 'test to limit' Brexit law, don't want delay: Govt

By IANS | Updated: September 8, 2019 20:35 IST

The Boris Johnson government will "carefully" examine the law compulsorily requiring it to secure an extension of the October 31 deadline to leave the EU, if no agreement is achieved by October 19, a minister said on Sunday.

Open in App

Asserting that the government would follow the law, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the government would "look very carefully" at its "interpretation" of the legislation, the BBC reported.

The law is likely to gain royal assent on Monday, and Johnson has been warned he could face legal action if he chooses to flout it.

Raab, however, said the "lousy" legislation has "weakened" the government's negotiating position in Brussels.

"That legislation is lousy, it envisages multiple delays, it would effectively force us to accept conditions from the EU however vindictive, punitive and harsh they may be," he said on Sky News on Sunday.

"We will adhere to the law but we will also - because this is such a bad piece of legislation - want to test to the limit what it actually lawfully requires," he said, terming it "the responsible thing to do".

Chancellor Sajid Javid also said on the BBC that the government "absolutely will not" ask the EU to extend the date of Brexit, adding: "We will leave on 31 October."

Appearing on the Andrew Marr programme, Javid, asked how this would work out, said: "You will have to wait and see what happens because there are a lot of days between now and October 19."

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: Dominic RaabbbceuJohnson
Open in App

Related Stories

InternationalJuly 2024 Marks Second-Hottest Month on Record Worldwide: EU Climate Agency Reports

InternationalTom Cruise 'working diligently' on his planned space movie

CricketCLOSE-IN: West Indies cricket - How the cookie crumbles (IANS column)

InternationalUK parliamentary panel report warns of national security threats from China; calls govt’s approach “inadequate”

PoliticsTurkey to expediate talks with EU on customs, visas: Erdogan

International Realted Stories

InternationalOngoing offensive creating new opportunities, bringing Israel closer to achieving its war objectives: IDF Chief

InternationalBangladesh rights group expresses dismay over Yunus's denial of minority persecution

InternationalH-1B visa crackdown to push US firms to shift operations in India: Report

InternationalAwami League holds protest in Geneva against Yunus govt in Bangladesh

InternationalTrump praises Pak leadership for 2nd time in two days, again claims to stop India-Pak war