Published 15:37 IST, December 14th 2019
With Boris Johnson in power, Brexit back in the British Parliament
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has won the UK general elections with a thumping majority making Brexit inevitable
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has won the United Kingdom general elections with a thumping majority making Brexit inevitable. PM Johnson now has a clear mandate for Britain's divorce deal from the European Union while the Labour party was looking forward to a second referendum.
Johnson’s Conservative party has won more than 326 seats required for a majority in the British parliament. After taking over from Theresa May in July this year, Johnson promised of delivering Brexit and his campaign relied on 'Getting Brexit Done'. Now that the Tories are back to power let us understand what is lined up for the British Prime Minister.
New Cabinet
One of the first things that Prime Minister Johnson would be doing is appointing a new Cabinet. Emboldened by this “historic victory”, the Prime Minister would look to appoint his loyalists and shape up his team by putting his close aides in top offices.
However, the Cabinet might go through a big change in January 2020. It is also said that few departments might merge with others. For example, the Foreign Office could be handed over to the Department for International Development.
Queen’s Speech
Following the election, the next big event due in Parliament is the Queen’s speech. The beginning of a new session of Parliament is marked by the monarch's speech. It is a traditional event that takes place in the upper house of the British parliament. The PM’s office has confirmed December 19 as the date for the speech. The Queen’s speech which is written by the government is read out by her in the House of Lords.
Brexit Is Back
The core issue at the heart of this UK election was 'Brexit', which is now back in Parliament. All eyes are now on Johnson to deliver on his campaign promise i.e. Britain's exit from the European Union. It appears that the country would leave the EU by the end of January 2020. However, it's a long way to go in terms of the actual process.
Following multiple levels of scrutiny, the PM's withdrawal bill needs to get the Royal Assent for becoming law. The task for the Prime Minister does not end there, the crucial free trade agreement with the EU also needs to be secured. The deadline for the trade agreement is 31 December 2020, leaving just 11 months for the newly elected Prime Minister and his team to reach a deal with their European partners.
Updated 16:26 IST, December 14th 2019