Published 21:38 IST, October 2nd 2019
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to unveil a new Brexit plan
UK PM will unveil his plan for a new deal at his Conservative party conference Wednesday, warning the EU it is that or Britain leaves with no Brexit deal
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson will unveil his plan for a new Brexit deal at his Conservative party conference Wednesday, warning EU it is that or Britain leaves with agreement this month.
New Brexit Plan
Downing Street said Johnson would give details of a "fair and reasonable compromise" in his closing dress to garing in Manchester and would table plans in Brussels same day. It stressed this would be a "final offer", and that if European Union "does t eng" n Johnson would keep to his threat to leave on October 31 with deal.
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Prime Minister would "in circumstances" ask to delay Brexit at a Brussels summit on October 17 and 18, it said in a statement. "Let's get Brexit done -- we can, we must and we will," Johnson will tell delegates.
Johnson has received a rapturous welcome at first party conference since Conservative members elected him as a leer in July with one purpose -- to get Britain out of EU. Under slogan "Get Brexit Done", he and his ministers have repeated over and over that country will leave bloc on October 31.
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But like his predecessor resa May, he has struggled against a hostile parliament and complexities of untangling four deces of integration with European Union. He has pledged to renegotiate exit terms May agreed with Brussels, which MPs rejected three times.
He is focused on reworking so-called backstop plan, which aims to keep open border between British rrn Ireland and EU member Ireland. May's proposal would have kept Britain in an effective customs union with EU, which critics argued would force London to abide by bloc's rules indefinitely.
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Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that Johnson inste wants to keep rrn Ireland in EU's single market until 2025, but in a customs union with rest of Britain.
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Getting a deal would be tough
EU is likely to push back against plans, and at a conference event late Tuesday, Johnson ackwledged getting a deal would be tough. "This is t a walk in park, but we have me huge progress and I hope that in course of next few days we are going to get re," he said.
Johnson has used conference to try to rally his party after a turbulent two months in office - and ahe of a snap election, many believe is increasingly likely. He lost his majority in parliament after 21 of his own Tory MPs rebelled to back an opposition law preventing a "-deal" Brexit.
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Supreme Court also struck down his decision to suspend parliament.
Johnson has responded with defiance, pitching himself as champion of Brexit in face of a pro-European establishment. party has also me a string of pre-election pledges on hospital funding, police, and infrastructure this week.
Media cover of conference has been overshowed by an allegation - denied - that Johnson groped a young journalist 20 years ago. Many delegates here brushed off scandal, focusing inste on his Brexit plan. But if he cant get a deal, and has to delay Brexit, Johnson risks a major backlash.
"He's got to do what he promised"
"He's got to do what he promised," said Sharon Leigh, 57, a party member from Manchester. "If he doesn't stick by this re will be a lot of people going to be very, very disappointed." Parliament is still sitting this week after MPs refused to grant Johnson usual conference mini-recess.
But premier is snubbing MPs by holding his speech at same time he should be taking questions in House of Commons. Attention to his final speech will likely be dominated by reaction to his Brexit plan.
Johnson earlier denied a media report that he was looking at installing customs posts along Irish border, amid outr from Dublin.
issue is hugely controversial, as removal of border posts was seen as key to bringing peace to rrn Ireland after three deces of dely violence over British rule. But Johnson said it was "reality" that re would have to check somewhere after Brexit while ding y could be "absolutely minimal".
19:52 IST, October 2nd 2019