A crunch Brexit week looms with drama in London and Brussels

With Britain due to leave EU on Oct. 31 and talks about securing a divorce deal hanging in balance, here’s a look at what could happen in week ahe. week opens with comforting trappings of British political trition, featuring a monarch in a horse-drawn carri, a diamond-studded crown, and lords in ermine capes.  Parliament returns from a brief break for State Opening of Parliament, a mix of politics and pantry at which Queen Elizabeth II, seated on a golden throne, res a speech written by government outlining its plans for year ahe. After three years in which Brexit has dominated British politics to exclusion of or vital issues, Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants speech to give a vision of his plans for U.K. after it leaves European Union. 

It will include a Brexit bill to ratify any divorce deal with EU, but also legislation on crime, immigration, health care, environment, and Britain’s railways. Johnson’s opponents say speech is little more than a stunt because Conservative government lacks a majority in Parliament, making an election likely in next few months before most of proposed bills can become law. Whoever won that vote would start again with a new program and a fresh queen’s speech. “What we have got in effect is a party-political brocast from steps of throne,” opposition Labour Party leer Jeremy Corbyn said Sunday. In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron is due to meet European Council President Donald Tusk.

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EU summit

As British lawmakers hold a debate on queen’s speech, scheduled to last several days, EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier will update ministers from 27 or member states on progress of Brexit talks at a meeting in Luxembourg.  Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merke, two of most important EU leers in determining course of Brexit, meet as ir two governments hold a joint meeting, a day before a crunch EU summit.  With two weeks to go until Brexit deline, leers of all 28 EU countries gar in Brussels for a two-day summit with Brexit at center of nda.  Johnson won’t be in room when 27 or leers discuss wher to strike a deal with his government. 

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key stumbling block has been finding a way to keep border between U.K.’s rrn Ireland and EU member Ireland free of customs checks and or barriers once Britain leaves EU. In recent days, both sides have moved towards compromise, but it may t be eugh to bridge gap between ir positions. EU leers may also consider wher to grant a delay to U.K.’s departure date — alrey twice-postponed — if Britain asks for one. Many are reluctant to prolong Brexit saga, but also want to avoid ecomic pain of a -deal Brexit. EU leers’ Brexit discussion is likely to stretch into Friday. By some point that day, British government and public should kw what 27 have decided. 

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EU demonstrators

Thousands of pro-EU demonstrators are due to gar outside Parliament in London to call for a new referendum on wher to leave EU or remain. Inside, British lawmakers will meet on a Saturday for first time since Falklands War in 1982. If government and EU have struck a deal, legislators will be asked to approve it. If re is divorce agreement, Johnson could ask Parliament to back a -deal Brexit on Oct. 31 — something it is highly unlikely to do. Most lawmakers fear leaving EU without an agreement would hurt British ecomy, and Parliament has several times voted to reject a -deal Brexit. But so far lawmakers haven’t agreed on what to do inste: some favor a Brexit deal, ors want a new referendum and still, ors would like to cancel Brexit altoger.

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