Monty Python, Benny Hill, and Brexit... British humor at it's best. First of all, P.M. Johnson is a cartoon character inserted into a real-life drama. Then the queen, who I thought was only supposed to politely wave at the peasants from her balcony, gets a role in the Brexit farce. She for some reason has decided to drastically reduce the time that Parliament will have to make the most important decisions since WW2. Forget "God save the Queen"... "God save the UK"
2
We are witnessing the slow motion dissolution of the UK. Northern Ireland is actually contemplating unification with the rest of the island, and Scotland is just inches away from declaring independence. And the Monarch must remain separate from politics even though her Kingdom is crumbling? Can't she just say "No!" to Boris? If not, it is yet another example of how stultifying tradition can become.
192
@Romeo Salta - If no-deal Brexit goes through, then Scottish independence is a foregone conclusion. Once it is in the EU block, Northern Ireland loses another no-border trading route, and it may well do the unthinkable and join with the (now non-sectarian) Republic. Wales may, or may not, stay with England.
In short, this will be the end of Great Britain and the United Kingdom.
80
@John Graybeard It is unlikely that Scotland would agree to independence once people there think the matter through, since that would mean a hard border with the UK - surely they would like that even less than the hard border with the rest of the EU. Ireland is a different story - joining Ireland might be beneficial for the people of Northern Ireland, since Ireland appears to be a vibrant and successful democracy with a resilient economy, and the Troubles lie enough in the past that it may be possible to move on.
12
@John Graybeard
Scotland’s greatest hurdle is the oft stated threat of a Spanish veto of Scottish entry into the EU, for the Spanish government looks at Scotland and says to itself, if Scotland can do this to the UK, Catalunya and the Basque Countries can do it to us.
For Northern Ireland, it is much simpler to join Eire, an EU member already. Given Eire’s recent votes on abortion and marriage equality were direct rebukes of its Catholic heritage, it leaves Protestants in the North with little to fear from Dublin.
Scotland might find its only path into the EU to also be through Ireland, and the presence of the majority Protestant Scotland might also assuage fears of the Protestants in Northern Ireland.
One thing that is sure, Little England will remain, emphasis on little.
18
The UK Constitution is pretty much unwritten and pretty much amounts to a set of time honoured conventions, which ultimately rely on some sense of the common good on all sides in order to work.
However, the one utterly unchallengeable principle, the bedrock of all UK Constitutional law, is that Parliament is sovereign and that sovereignty cannot be compromised, not even by Parliament itself (ie If Parliament voted one day to limit its powers for all eternity, Parliament the next day would be perfectly free to vote in a way that breached those limits). This is first year UK Constitutional Law day one stuff.
So, Parliament could in principle if it has the guts tell Boris it will not be prorogued. What could he do, arrest MPs? Charles I tried that and lost his head on a scaffold in Westminster.
Think on, Boris, or don't you know what happens to the person who opens Pandora's Box?
3
This move by Johnson is predictable given the state of Democracy in the Western World today. Twisting and adjusting mechanisms of governing is a play that will be utilized by others elsewhere at a democracy near you soon. The cause is essentially three factors. Many voters have been complacent, proudly uninformed, and vote as if they are yet in grade school and went on to select choices and policies that assault their National and Personal interests. The rise of ideas and personalities who wish to profit for the few is a second volatile act that has brought Brexit, Orban's sanitized version of the Holocaust, Duterte's ruthless drug war, Brazil's looking away from an Amazon on fire, Trump's divisiveness, and more. A third variable is the acceleration of population growth, climate change, and an exhausted planet unable to absorb or endure the human race much longer. Mix in equal portions of rage at the other, people struggling to hold it all together along with their media status, and the distraction of consumerism, and you get the likes of Boris, the alt "right", and it's just about me.
2
If the Brexiteers are so sure that this is what the country wants, why be afraid of holding another referendum? After all, the water temperature is what it is today, not three years ago at this time. Has it changed?
1
I still don't get it.
It sounds like the various parties are arguing not over whether to "leave" the trade community or stay. Rather, all they seem to care about is whether to wear brown lace-ups or black slip ons to the execution.
The nicetities and minor issues involved, including the fact that nobody seems to want to "not exit the union", mean that all the shouting, back and forth is really about appearances, not about whether to halt the repeated march into the sea.
Did the spineless fools in this parliament wish to act decisively, they would risk their necks on the very issue and refuse to leave the Union. The entire business of "brexit" might have been cooked up by the FSB in Moscow,(meet the new boss-same as the old KGB).
Were I as dumb as pro "brexit" Brits, I would even suggest Mr. Johnson's first name indicated of his actual East European political persuasions & his haircut proof of his being one of Karl Marx's wild oats.
He has never seemed to be interested in the fate of the UK-just in making noise-lots of it.
10
Chaos everywhere and Russia wins again.
4
Personally I think Brexit was a bad vote, the wrong way forward for a smallish nation in a big world. HOWEVER, I don't have time for all this handwringing about the end of democracy. This is a normal parliamentary procedure being deployed cynically and strategically - but surely legally. Is Johnson trying to push his preferred Brexit solution through prorogation? Of course. (Though I think all commentators are quick to assume that his preferred solution really is no-deal. That could be true, but it could also be true that prorogation is a bargaining tactic with the EU itself, which has been refusing to budge on many points in the belief that Parliament won't allow no-deal. Johnson may be more interested in calling their bluff than in a true no-deal Brexit.) And, crucially, Britain voted. Britain voted FOR Brexit. I would not have voted that way, but I simply cannot wrap my head around people who think that a normal parliamentary procedure (deployed cynically) that takes the nation closer to the thing it voted for is egregiously undemocratic. A revote, a revocation of the referendum by the Remainers in Whitehall, a refusal to do what is necessary to leave the EU, a queen acting imperiously against the popular vote: all of THIS is undemocratic. Is that not obvious?
Boris is a populist and a cynic, a shrewd political operator, and plausibly a demagogue. But achieving what the people voted for by sidelining elites who want to scuttle it? That's democracy, people.
2
Boris Johnson's actions warrant a red flag filing, and Britain should be placed on a suicide watch.
2
Why don't lawmakers met anyway in protest - outside of Parliament?
1
If these were sane and rational times, moves would have been made to move the party conferences to November and keep Parliament in session through 10/31.
Every effort should be made to find a solution. But instead, Boris Johnson effectively takes the ball and runs home with it.
Post-war democracy may not be dead, but it surely is turning blue and coughing up blood.
Conservatives will give up democracy before they give up their dream.
2
At my hair salon, where all things are decided, my Brit hairdresser told me BoJo is the Prime Minister that the UK deserves. Chilling.
1
I’m no expert but it seems to me that a no-deal would be chaotic in extreme. What would happen to the European nationals living in the U.K.? They would find themselves suddenly turned illegals. Truckloads of food would be rotting, stuck at the border. What about the Irish situation? All the businesses that currently trade with Europe? It seems like a humongous mess.
1
Where are the 'it's a republic, not a democracy" conservative voices now? Of course the "democracy" that republics and Britain are not supposed to be is actually "direct democracy", the making of important decisions by a simple majority of the governed without intermediation and discussion by experienced representatives. Direct democracy has been [rightly IMO] eschewed as a dangerous idea. So how did the advisory Brexit referendum result get to be a binding decision in a system that's not supposed to be a direct democracy? Hashing these things out is why parliaments exist.
2
The Queen (the usefulness of such an office to be debated later) was in a pickle. She could either play the traditional non-political role (accepted as the norm for over a century now) and accede to the PM’s political request, or buck tradition and deny Johnson his request as being antithetical to the British notion of democracy and fair play. She chose the former, allowing Johnson to be the one to buck tradition.
I question whether a younger, more aggressive monarch on the throne would have made the same choice. I also question the point of having a royal personage be in that position given the established restrictions on politics (not to mention the reason for the existence of the royal family at all), but that is another discussion.
Having succumbed to Johnson’s diabolical plan, could the Queen help debate a bit by delaying her opening speech to Parliament and ordering Parliament to go ahead with their immediate business at hand and announcing that she will address them after their Brexit deliberations? It would only add a few days of debate, but better than nothing.
As to any arguments that such a change in events alters the traditions of Parliamentary order, well, parliamentary traditions have just been shown the door anyway, n’est-ce pas?
4
The millions of retired U.K. folks living in sunny Southern Europe will soon be packing. Exodus. Wow.
@Carpanta
There are a grand total of 150,000 UK citizens over the retirement age living in the EU27 (source: Office of National Statistics). Not all are retired either.
The EU nations where they are resident have guaranteed their residence (although there may be other issues like health insurance).
So now apparently the U.K. monarchy doesn’t get involved in politics, yet it just recently welcomed the Trump clan with open arms. Which is it?
1
Let's not lose our heads here. This move thwarts the mills of democracy and complicates the challenge for parliament to fulfill its constitutional duties, but it doesn't entirely disable its path to crucially meaningful action. The move exposes Putin's British tinpot puppet to be naked and afraid. The move exposes how ruthlessly and essentially anti-democratic the leave advocates are and is likely to further erode their popular support. The side working for the people (instead of for Putin and a few ultrawealthy plutocrats and puppets and adventurers seeking short-lived personal advantages) need only a few of the treacherous, opulent, reactionary, imperialism-entitled snobs (Tories) to find a spark of sense or a spine back. We can still escape the impending and most harrowing Halloween of all Halloweens: the Boris of all Halloweens. In Italy Putin's corrupt tinpot puppet just spectacularly overplayed his hand. It might turn out the British puppet just did so as well.
3
It looks like the British are finally learning what Americans learned a couple of years ago: Be careful what you vote for.
6
The UK was never all in on the EU, it kept its own currency and struggled to keep some autonomy. Great Britain has only held the Presidency of the EU once, in 1987. Otherwise it has been a nearly constant rotation of Germany, France, and Spain. So one could surmise British enthusiasm for the EU was lukewarm at best.
British companies got what it wanted, cheap labor at the expense of British citizens. I enjoy being able to travel between the UK and the rest of the EU countries without visas and passports. I enjoy only having to manage 3 currencies instead of 10 or more. But let's be real, the Brits have not fully embraced EU rule and Brexit should not surprise anyone. It is time for the UK to leave, deal or no deal. It is either that or go all in, drop the Pound and take up all the responsibilities that go with EU membership.
5
How sad it is to see Britain diminished to a cartoon state.
3
The Queen should say "No"!
Johnson doesn't play by the rules - why should she?
Scotland and No. Ireland will leave the UK and join the EU if there is a no-deal Brexit.
2
Enough already...... Time for the Brits to move on and get over Brexit. Yes, it may be detrimental to the UK economy in the short term but then Great Britain will re-emerge and probably stronger.
The Brussels bureaucracy is highly unpopular throughout Europe and that is exactly why their politicians are so scared of a me-too effect of Brexit. These silly way-too-highly paid Junker and Tusk do not represent the people in Europe but only the interest of their inflated bureaucracy.
5
Brexit puts the unity of the United Kingdom at risk. Scotland is mostly against it as is Northern Ireland. Brexit is disruptive and the threat of no deal Brexit more so. For those reasons alone, the Queen should have broken precedent and spoken out against it. Her latest action in backing Johnson's action makes clear - the British should abolish their worthless monarchy. Seize all crown assets and render that worthless family penniless.
The wisdom of American Founding Fathers who so feared the excesses of parliamentary democracy in a royal empire that they only allowed white men who owned property to only directly vote for and elect their representative in the House.
And they birthed a very peculiar kind of republic. A divided limited different power constitutional republic of united states.
State legislatures picked the two Senators that every state had. The Electoral College selects Presidents. Presidents nominate judges, cabinet members and others without the advice and consent of the House of Representatives.
How did both nations end up with such ignorant, immature, immoral, incompetent, intemperate and insecure divas?
Neither man can be blamed upon divine royal sanction selection nor an armed uniform military coup. Neither man has ever been covert stealthy subtle.
See the nearest mirror or window.
4
"The situation is a reflection of an unwritten rule of Britain’s political system: The monarch remains removed from politics."
Then please, if someone will, tell this ignorant American what, then, is the point of the Queen, King and Royal Family? Because it appears they have all the significance of a leech on the social body that is the United Kingdom if they don't, as titulary leaders, actually try to do as their ancestors once did, lead. What becomes the point of Royalty at all?
But I'm an ignorant American on this, so will defer to those who know better.
John~
American Net'Zen
2
@John
Basically despite what you'll be reading in a lot of newspapers what Johnson asked for wasn't illegal or unconstitutional. It is political game playing, but its not that different from the norm to be too much of an issue.
What you are in fact hearing is the people who have spent 3 years trying to delay and ultimately prevent the UK leaving the EU, despite the biggest democratic exercise in the UK's history, have their bluff called. Johnson's move has cut them off at the legs and they're very cross.
The legal and constitutional trickery they were planning to use (that is if anything far more controversial) is now null and void and they have no Plan B. Basically, they've been out-manoeuvred and are going to get the result they most feared, partly because of their own actions over the last 3 years.
They could have voted for the deal on 3 occasions....but thats not on offer now.
1
@JohnThey are reduced to being tourist attractions.
Boris has been preparing for the inevitable general election by promising all sorts of goodies which will, of course, vanish if the country is foolish enough to elect him. Particularly if there's no Brexit deal, which will cause a recession that makes the 2007 version look good by comparison.
1
This may be a constitutional crisis. But you don’t have all the facts. The Queen should not prorogue Parliament unless she does so upon the advice of the Prime Minister but only if he or she enjoys the confidence of the House of Commons. If the Prime Minister does not enjoy the confidence of the House on this issue then the Executive Branch of government is controlling the legislative branch. That is not appropriate. However, it is the role of the Queen to determine if the Prime Minister has the confidence of the House. The Queen prorogued Parliament. Presumably she accepted that the Prime Minister enjoyed the confidence of the House. The Conservatives don’t have a majority of seats in the House. They rely on the votes of other parties on votes of confidence. The question, it seems to me, is whether the Prime Minister enjoys the support of a majority of members in the House and if he advised the Queen that he possessed that confidence.
2
The Queens role is similar to the Electors of each 50 states in the US. Perhaps it is time for Monarchy and the Electoral College to intervene against native strongmen.
2
@greg
The electoral college only has power after a presidential election has been held. It has no power to remove a sitting president nor dissolve a nonfunctioning congress. The British monarch has these powers. So no, the roles are not even close to being similar.
1
@skramsv
My point is that both have the power to rebuke the likes of Trump and Johnson. The EC Electors could have voted no to the election of Trump, otherwise, what's the sense of having an EC. The Queen could have rejected the request of Johnson to suspend Parliament and hinder the Brexit that the minority is seeking.
2
Constitutional monarchies, a good part of western Europe and the Commonwealth countries. Talk about assets.
Perhaps it is time for the UK to write a Constitution, instead of different sets of rules and traditions.
Boris Johnson is abusing this situation and places himself in a grey zone. What if Parliament votes no-confidence in the few days it has? What if the Supeme Court rules his move illegal?
The UK risks become a ship without captain (prime minister), whithout first officers (ministers) and whitout crew (parliament), in the middle of fog (uncertanity), cliffs (Brexit) and a tempest (economic slowdown).
Iceberg ahead.
1
I’m more concerned with things closer to home and the American Revolution than I am with this so called “Brexit”.
Trump is about to give what he is describing as the trade deal of the century to a country where the monarch just short circuited the parliamentary system in place.
Isn’t that the kind of thing that the people who started America revolted against?
250 years later it gets rewarded with a trade deal?
2
Fascinating article. So not only does the US with its over 200 year old virtually unchangeable Constitution have a fatally flawed system of government, the UK does too.
2
The Constitution has been changed by Amendments many times. Why do you think it’s “virtually unchangeable?
1
The Brexit vote was a dog's breakfast and highly irregular. A second referendum is in order. If the second vote is to remain, then have a third vote, for fairness. The best 2 out of 3.
Johnson has declared war on the rational majority. Brits, it's time to go to the mattresses. Hopefully we Yanks will follow.
3
The conflict giving this rather disorganized Brexit process is not well understood by many here. The vote for Leave was clearly manipulated, we have the conclusions about Cambridge Analytica/Aggregate IQ and Facebook millions data abuse and many other dishonest and false proclamations. The real effect of the Leave were never fully and overtly discussed but latterly and today the population in Britain has an entirely different opinion. The situation in Ireland could become really explosive. Mrs May the Tory previous PM understood this very well. The battle today in Britain is for the sake of its own survival as a rational society.
2
The UK was a rational society before the EU and it will continue being a rational society after Brexit.
1
An authoritarian farce, carried out not by a mandate, not even by a majority of Parliament, let alone the country, which would almost certainly vote against Brexit if given another chance, implemented by a tiny clique animated only by its own absurdities, pining for a world that no longer exists.
5
Seriously, to all those people who say that the results of the Brexit and Trump election should be respected please watch The Great Hack on Netflix. It sets out how Cambridge Analytica identified and manipulated “persuadable” voters with individually targeted propaganda and disinformation based on a personality profile developed without their knowledge using Facebook data. This technology is so powerful that it’s hard to believe it won’t taint all future elections or that it has disappeared with the collapse of Cambridge Analytica. I respect democracy, but I’m not sure we have democracy anymore.
3
Considering that the original Brexit vote was very close to 50/50, doesn't that signal that a compromise is needed?
For example, the U.K. could leave but with a deal that preserves the right to live and work in the E.U.
2
@Peter Piper
"Considering that the original Brexit vote was very close to 50/50, doesn't that signal that a compromise is needed? "
This is a question that is often raised. But the question asked in the referendum was clear cut. It was In or Out, no half measures, and it was winner takes all. Supporters of European integration used the 1970's referendum as carte blanche to do what they wanted so the favour is being returned.
"For example, the U.K. could leave but with a deal that preserves the right to live and work in the E.U."
Thats not in the UK's gift to give. Thats the EU's choice and they have been clear from day one that that is not on offer. For them as the UK, you're either In or Out.
2
Parliament et al had three years to make this work. Now that are complaining about a couple of weeks during which they could actually be cutting a deal to vote on.
4
I agree that holding a new Brexit vote is an unsustainable position if one truly accepts a democratic vote outcome. But whoever succeeds Johnson could immediately petition the EU to rejoin the union pending a new vote.
2
They voted. They should leave. I do not understand this recent tendency, which is prevalent since 2016, of denying the outcome of elections. He is doing his job and delivering Brexit.
7
A beg to differ.
few points for your consideration:
They did not vote but participated in a referendum.
The outcome was very tight around 1/3 remain, 1/3 brexit and 1/3 not participated (if memory serve).
The question was asked on an abstract level, no information was given regarding the implications, consequences and or implementations options were not evoqued.
Since then it came to light how the campaign has been manipulated, much in the same way as the 2016 was.
The brexit side relentlessly used inaccurate talking points or plain lies. (Johnson not the last one to do that..)
Now that the real world consequences are indeed lied down and smoke screens cleared most English are in favor of remain.
Don't get me wrong, if an informed majority (stressing informed and majority..) would want to leave I would bd the first to wish for them to do that. No point in keeping a reluctant relationship!
But not in these completely skewed and unsound conditions.
2
The Queen realized that not suspending would bring about even more discord in that it would have broken the modern tradition of the monarch NOT being political, Whatever the backdrop, the choice was not there,
Interesting, though, many in the UK see no similarity between Johnson and Trump, yet in a very strange but obvious way they do seem to be cut from the same rough cloth, Both love attention, both are fine with breaking protocol or political boundaries at all costs, both promise much but provide little assurance that what they promote has any chance of being true,
The other factor that remains so odd to me is that the yea or nay vote on leaving was just that, It was not a vote on procedure or process or what would or would not be acceptable to achieve the break. Here, then, the similarity to DJT's election, many voted for "change" but never considered the consequences,
I do still claim that there are many social, racial, and unknown factors that led to the current situation, Now, will the UK be lucky in BREXIT and can the royal family breathe a sign of relief when done. Will Scotland and Irish Republic just tuck their tails between their legs and live with it? Stay tuned, the chaos has not even begun,
10
Just do something, anything and let the chips fall where they may and move on. Start dealing with the "new issues" that will be at hand. At this point there is not a right decision and too much water under the bridge.
4
As with Trump and the GOP, the right wing has no shame or pause. If Trump was a Democrat he would have been impeached long ago, even by his own party.
The problem is the assumption that all people would adhere to norms. Johnson saw an opportunity and has no shame. He’s a winner in the 21st century.
It’s time to stop assuming the rich and powerful are beyond reproach and are accountable to norms. We need strict clear laws without loopholes not norms.
26
All these peanut gallery shots at Brexit ignore that the Brits voted FOR Brexit.
6
Yes, they voted for it and there’s the BUT did they really understand what they all voted for? Bretix is much more complex, especially when the Brits go back to the rest of the EU and say well, “We would still like this, this and that...” which they have already done.
And the EU then says...No! Not gonna happen.
@KJ: ...after being lied to about how it would work and what it would mean.
From my reading, Brexit (and certainly a no-deal Brexit) would likely precipitate the break-up of the United Kingdom. Scotland and Northern Ireland would seek independence. Ireland might unify.
In 10 years time, the UK would be reduced to just England and Wales. This would be a unintended outcome for many Brexiters. But nothing compared to the inevitable realization that this “independence” from the EU will end up making their lives worse and not better.
The Western democracies are experiencing large disruptions in political norms and civility. It’s frightening how resentment - particularly among whites - is stoking such profound instability and retrograde actions. One worries that we would devolve to choosing even worse leaders if a real economic meltdown occurs.
In the 30s, the people of the United States experienced the Great Depression, 25% unemployment, terrible hardships all around and in response elected FDR to the presidency, four times! We seem to have lost a better part of ourselves.
12
@Michael -- NI wouldn't seek independence. It's bound at the hip with England, and it couldn't survive as an independent state. But Scotland is quite capable of standing on its own.
3
Really FDR was one of the better Presidents...even if he was a Republican. He started Social Security which has helped generations. He was a man of the people. Not like the he who shall not be named...
No question, FDR was one of the greatest US Presidents, but he was a proud Democrat.
It's astonishing how crazy people have gotten about Brexit.
I wouldn't have voted for it but when you lose a vote, you need to follow through. Johnson is intent on doing that, with a deal or without one. I guess I support him because I support upholding the results of referendums, even if I disagree with them. I didn't vote for Trump but I supported his assumption of the presidency.
And no, holding another referendum until you get the result you want is not a valid proposal.
4
Yes you used the right word “assumption” of our presidency. But he stole it with help and he is therefore not legitimate. He certainly is not the president of ALL the people and he is definitely not mine.
Excellent. I doubt the parliament would be able to do a Brexit deal anyway, if they haven’t been able to agree already, a few more weeks won’t matter. Further, if Britain crashes out of the EU with no deal and it’s a disaster, Boris will not be able to shift the blame to anyone else. It’s his baby and his alone. Then the British people can punish Boris in the polls and he will go down in history as the person responsible.
5
All these people who banter on about protecting democracy sure seem to have a hard time accepting what the people voted for.
7
Watch “The Great Hack” on Netflix and how Cambridge Analytica manipulated the Leave EU campaign using personally targeted disinformation and illegally obtained Facebook data and then see if you still think it’s what people voted for.
How long does it take to come back and vote no?
3
The folks who do things will benefit from the thrill of victory or the agony of defeater, whichever they've done - the Lady or the Tiger.
Landlords in Dublin, Frankfurt and Paris thank Boris Johnson
2
I do not like Boris Johnson; he is as big a liar and narcissist as Trump, but after years of parliamentary gridlock, does anyone really believe any acceptable parliamentary decision will be made now.
Just get it over with, and watch the U.K fragment. Its their problem, and Johnson will go down as the guy that made it happen.
10
"Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain on Wednesday cut short the time lawmakers have to debate his Brexit plans..." Hahahaha. That is ludicrous. They have been having the same stale debate for three years!!!! How much time do they need! No one has anything new to add.
6
Straight out of the Donald J. Trump Dictator's Playbook.
You are in charge Boris, so no need to let pesky democratic principles, such as debate and working for consensus ruin your brilliant agenda. It's tough being a "stable genius" when so many people question your authority and judgment--ask Trump.
After all, you of all people know Brexit was a great idea, since it was largely yours. No time or tolerance for criticism by all those experts and naysayers, who see a gigantic fallout for Britain by following your plan. Consequences don't matter--you and Trump clearly agree on that!!
Just go knock on the door of Buckingham Palace and get the 93-year-old Queen to rubber=stamp your brilliant plan--even if lots of other people fear the consequences of pulling out of the EU, which you clearly do not have the time or ego-inclination to consider.
You have your Brexit; Trump has his tariff and trade wars. Party on!
15
Well said.
I wonder by which trick the Queen has the power to shut the Parliament.
???
And same with the Prime minister.
For the record, it’s Sir John Major, not Mister.
5
His hair seems to have an Orange Tint to it.....
For him to be successful he had to take extreme measures or he would simply fail exactly the way his predecessor did over and over and over. This was a bold step of leadership and whether it succeeds or fails, he is trying desperately to move the interminably stalled process off square zero. If nothing else, the EU will now have to take notice and at least consider doing what they sternly refused to do previously - meaningfully renegotiate.
Or they can let Britain take the hit and renegotiate their way back in
6
The Queen should decide what side she is on on this one, and make it known very quickly, she needs to be political on this one issue. What we see as comical "characters" in Trump and Johnson are in my opinion products of a Russian plan to ruin our countries.
9
As the UK prepares to bow out of world politics, and fade into irrelevancy, it is nostalgic to remember how the "sun never set on the British Empire". My how things have changed! Many areas formerly under British administration were better off before independence. I'll just let it go at that.
3
Parliament has had plenty of time to posture, make snide remarks, and demonstrate incompetence. They wouldn’t use any additional time differently.
3
The Washington Post is right in their warning that "Democracy Dies in Darkness". Darkness means the absence of truth-telling. Johnson and Trump are both guilty of that.
26
One thing going against Boris, the Liar’s twin, is the political system that is completely different from America. You have to live with the fool on the hill until November 2020, in England a vote of no confidence would bring about elections as soon as October when Parliament reconvenes.
14
Johnson has unleashed something he cannot control. He may be the equivalent of Trump but we in the UK, in the main, can't abide Trump. I predict riots on the streets if the courts allow this to happen. As for the Queen, she has signed her own death warrant (metaphorically speaking) - we will shortly become a republic. About time too.
7
Ask an American, voting has consequences.
11
The British National Anthem is ”God Save the Queen.” Apparently no reciprocity is required.
Of course, who are we to judge. Our motto is E Pluribus Unum. Out of the many, we are are stuck with One (least qualified)
6
Brexit sale: $1 per pound coming soon.
7
What a shame we have to go through this again and again in our history---right-wing fervor with racism and xenophobia at its root.
A leader full of empty promises and inane babble preying on fear to do....what exactly? Become popular?
I think Trumpco has promised Boris all kinds of 'help' to Britain as they become an economic third-world outlier in Europe.
As it stands today, Britain has virtually nothing to offer that other European states can't.
AND how does a 'no deal' Brexit solve the problem of open, free trade with the Irish Republic?
It will literally tear the UK apart at the seams.
5
And Trump will be booted soon enough so all his lying Promises will mean zero
3
This is so cool! I have always wondered what distopian movie was going to become non-fiction!! Its so exciting!! cliff hanger for sure!!
2
@seattleSmartyindetroit
Believe me, sir/madam, it is not “cool” - it is dangerously hot.
5
Let Britain burn. Only an economic catastrophe and a resumption of violence in Northern Ireland will put paid to the liars like Farage, Johnson and Fox who promised a Brexit would be easy and painless. Let them be confronted with the consequences of their lies.
"If you think about it, the free trade agreement that we will have to come to with the European Union should be one of the easiest in human history.” - UK Cabinet minister Liam Fox, 20 July 2017
5
I would like to thank Boris Johnson for setting in motion the reunification of the 32 counties of Eire
6
The hiking boots I like are made in England. So, for personal reasons, I can't wait to see the great Boris Johnson tank the British pound into the ground. I wonder what Vegas is predicting the bottom value of the pound will be vs the dollar after a no-deal Brexit?
Has it ever even been below 1? i.e. A single U.S. dollar being able to buy more than a single British pound? If it gets to .75 pounds to the dollar, I'm stocking up!
To bad about all those Brits though. But that's what happens you allow a loud-mouthed idiot to run things.
Perhaps Trump and Boris could participate in a swimsuit mud-fight? With all profits, naturally, going directly to them instead of charity.
9
Why is a parliamentary schedule left to the whim and personal aggrandizement of a single man, even if he is prime minister? Aren't there procedures (sometimes called *parliamentary* procedures) that compel consistency in the lawmaking process? Boy, the more one sees British politics in action the more it looks like Italy.
4
@Stevenz - I love British politics. Where else can you get candidates like Lord Buckethead?
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/video/2017/jun/12/john-oliver-send-lord-buckethead-to-negotiate-brexit-video
@Stevenz
In Oz and NZ the more problematic action is by the Queen. She may far dethroning in our neck of the woods for such overreach.
I'm sure Donald Trump is having Rudy Giuliani look into how he can do the same thing to Congress.
11
Another wanna be dictator who will oversee the collapse of UK and like his partner Trump he will be ok which is all thye care about ,the me me twins.
5
Another dictator in the making.
5
Alas, the new “Axis of Evil”: Trump and Johnson. And Putin. And Bolsonaro.
7
Vladimir Putin gave an office in Moscow to American expatriate Louis Marinelli to serve as his "California embassy." Marinelli led a Calexit campaign for California to declare independence and secede from the Union.
The promotion of secession movements is a component of the Kremlin's strategy to foment chaos and thereby weaken democracies. It seems odd to me that this factor seems chronically absent from discussions of Brexit.
16
Time to launch a psyops program targeting the Russian people
1
Queen Elizabeth just demonstrated why the British monarchy is obsolete and no photogenic great grandchildren will change that.
25
With this stunt she has proved the royal family is old, incompetent and de facto obsolete, same level of stature and statesmanship as American president Trumps. An outerborough, small person.
7
Since Boris is trying to hardball the EU with this "steering wheel out the window and pedal to the metal" routine... why don't they just call his bluff and rescind the current "extension" on the basis the PM is acting in Bad Faith. Establish Brexit as in effect as of noon September 13th.
Of course, were there an election the EU would give an extension until the new PM was in place, and if Good Faith followed perhaps extend that extension a while.
4
Is it really a democracy if the "Queen" is able to give authority to Johnson's actions? To say she remains removed from politics, it's all political! It blows my mind that in 2019, the ruling "political' class earns it's just for bring born into a family and then have enormous political power. It is so archaic. I am seriously questioning if humanity has the ability to rise above this insanity.
7
@DemonWarZit just blows my mind that the supreme court acts the same as the queen. re: trump can use funds that have been passed to assure he gets his barbed wire fence. the usa is on the brink and it would't be pretty
3
I saw photographs of London police arresting demonstrators. I'm sure the people of Hong Kong will be shocked at this brutality and authoritarian suppression of democracy occurring in the country that held Hong Kong as a colony for 150 years.
6
Let's see. Who benefits from all of this confusion and turmoil.
The US is weakened. The EU is weakened. The United Kingdom is on the verge of breaking up.
Who put his or her fingers into the Brexit election and the US presidential election.
There is only one winner here, and that is Putin.
42
My brother lives and works in England.
He says everyone is sick of Brexit. Believes there will be no deal and just wants to get it over with.
49
@Glenn
Not quite. Just the beginning of many years of one sided trade deal making with UK, or rest of UK, on losing side every single time. It’s called leverage and it will be gone.
14
@Glenn
Yes we are all sick of Brexit because we don't want it to happen. If no deal Brexit happens it will likely lead to the break up of the UK and possible civil unrest in England. To 'get it over with' will lead to unprecedented economic consequences in peace time and, in my opinion, will result in the fall of the monarchy given what the Queen has sanctioned today.
19
@Glenn: "He says everyone is sick of Brexit. Believes there will be no deal and just wants to get it over with."
That's actually just starting the interesting part.
4
So when the UK crashes out of the EU, the EU can just wash their hands of the situation and go about their business. Much of the UK food supply comes from elsewhere in Europe, freely moving across borders, but little infrastructure has been built to now move food products through Customs. So will the grocery store be nearly empty by mid-November? Relying on Trump to be the savior is foolish indeed. Any trade deal he wants will force US insurance and drug firms into the National Health Service, which will then raise prices and make healthcare unaffordable, just as they’ve done in the US. He’ll also force them to import any food the US wants, not any food the UK wants. The UK will be negotiating from a position of weakness, not strength, and Trump is a zero sum person. He wins only when everyone else loses. The UK Parliament should keep that in mind.
11
@BG "So will the grocery store be nearly empty by mid-November" ... Estimates are that key products will run out within 1-2 weeks. So well before mid-November. Medicines are likely to run out and there may be a lot of other disruption. How bad it will get and how long it will last, nobody really knows. Anywhere on the scale from inconvenience to rather severe with civil unrest following. My gut feel is on the latter, given the incompetence of this administration.
Even if it was relatively mild, there will be extreme outrage. Just google for "kfc uk supply chain issues" which happened this year and led to a lot of very verbal unhappiness.
4
@BG
Unusual to find an American, especially in Texas, who understands the implications of a no deal Brexit. I tip my hat to you Sir/Madam.
4
@Henry Bob
I love the UK and have visited several times, so I’ve followed the news there. I wish you all the best, but I fear you are indeed correct that there will be much confusion and unrest.
4
Brexit Poem
I'm dreaming of 1642
Everything old again is new
Abolishing parliament?
Charles I, mon dieu!
How well did that end for you?
8
Suspending parliament is a batten-down-the-hatches political maneuver. Anyone who condones its premise will delight in Bojo for making it.
2
There's probably a movie deal in the makings right now. The sudden twists and turns of the thrilling finale are too juicy to pass up. This isn't a movie. It's real time, real people and real consequences. There seems to be no lack for politicians willing to get into high stakes gambling with their nation's economy these days. You know Trump probably thought, "Prorogation. I could use some of that."
3
This may be an unpopular opinion, but there has already been ample time to debate and move forward on Brexit. I disagree with the decision in principle, but it's hard for me to conjure any outrage for 2 missing weeks when parliament should have taken a decision months (or years!) ago.
8
Boris Johnson is simply forcing the hand of Parliament to make a decision. The decision is whether Britain will remain a democracy in which the will of the 17,410,742 people who voted leave is heeded or if the ruling aristocratic class of elitists have the right to negate and void the will of the people. Why should they be given a great deal of time to contemplate? Unless Britain is no longer a democracy, the decision should already have been rendered long ago. The British people voted 'LEAVE'. So, get on with it.
5
Votes are expressions of the will of the people at a point in time, they are not cast in stone. Which is why even our constitution has mechanisms for being changed. If the people of the UK have changed their mind they should be allowed to express this change.
5
Perhaps it should have been the Queen’s time to break with modern tradition, and put a stop to Mr. Johnson’s initiative. But she did not. I wonder if anyone knows what Prince Charles and William think about this? Not that it would matter. I can’t imagine that many in the country are happy about this happening, particularly members of Parliament. It does not seem like a strategic effort by Johnson to be popular. It seems a determination to leave Brexit his way and ignore the points of view of a majority. We have Trump issues. It seems the people of England have their own issues with their new PM. I guess they’ll have to design a hot air balloon of their very own autocrat.
137
@Wanda Why do you refer only to England? England hasn't been an independent country since the early 1700s.
4
@Peter Piper. Sorry.
4
@Peter Piper
The people of Scotland do also have issues with the new PM, since they opposed Brexit by a substantial majority. I'm omitting Wales and Northern Ireland because I know sure about their people.
3
Through the prism of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, it's clear to me that democracy is an idea whose day has passed. Today, any action goes, including disenfranchising large swaths of the voting public and their representatives. All that matters to politicians today is getting their way. Woe to us, and shame on us for standing by silently.
287
You are funny. Democracy never really existed. There was a brief period between the second WW and the cold war, where some countries exhibited increased democratic values to show the other side how its done.
But that is no longer necessary. China is a dictatorship on the rise, not the only one, and while democracy seems nice, I have trouble imagining that it can prevail against a well run dictatorship. I think the west will have to even bury its current pseudo democracy, if they ever hope to compete with China going forward.
Democracy is a Greyjoy: What is dead may never die
3
@SDT
You are failing to make necessary distinctions among politicians.
2
@SDT trump and Johnson operate in a legislative vacuum. That’s what makes them possible.
8
Brexiteers like to talk about democracy, how the results of the referendum have to be fulfilled... Yet, on the first occasion they have, they suspend the most democraticaly elected body in the country: the Parliament, and they have stubbornly rejected all tentatives for a second referendum. They have also resisted all demands for a second independence referendum for Scotland. It is only democracy when it suits them.
335
@SJP
"Brexiteers like to talk about democracy, how the results of the referendum have to be fulfilled... Yet, on the first occasion they have, they suspend the most democraticaly elected body in the country: the Parliament, and they have stubbornly rejected all tentatives for a second referendum."
This makes no sense whatsoever. The first referendum result has not yet been implemented. The UK has still not left the EU.
Most people are quite happy for people to campaign to re-enter the EU, and have a referendum to do so. But only after the first one has actually been enacted.
"They have also resisted all demands for a second independence referendum for Scotland."
Scotland has yet to actually formally request another referendum....they haven't asked for one. It's hard to 'resist a demand' when a demand hasn't been made....
11
@Tim
It would be far better for GB to stay in the EU than to re-enter it. The European Court of Jusitce decided that if GB wants to withdraw from Brexit the other members don't have a saying in this. But once GB leaves, it would have to re-negotiate the terms of it's membership if it wants to re-enter the union, it's unlikely that they'd be as favorable as the current ones.
30
@SJP in general, it would be anti-democratic for either side to get to continue calling referenda until they get a result they like. In this case, I think a second referendum makes sense, because at the time of the first referendum it wasn't clear what the terms of the departure would be. People couldn't possibly know exactly what they were voting for.
Ideally, I think the UK should hold two more referenda: One that asks whether voters would prefer Mrs. May's deal or no deal, and then when that is settled, whether voters would prefer to stay or to leave on the terms chosen in the previous referendum. This would actually allow voters to have their considered opinions heard.
Alternatively, that other democratic body, parliament, could be allowed to deliberate and make the decision. But Mr. Johnson doesn't want anyone to be able to question or slow his preferred option, no deal.
14
No sugarcoating, please NYT! An unelected PM requests the queen to bypass the parliament so a very critical topic is handled thru non-democratic means. This is about nothing but the oppression of remainers' political rights.
374
@Blackbird
"An unelected PM requests the queen to bypass the parliament so a very critical topic is handled thru non-democratic means." Thank you for framing the issue with the clarity it deserves.
13
@Blackbird. It was voted for. Brexit won. Trying to stop it is the definition of non-democratic handling.
3
@Blackbird PM's are never directly elected. They are always chosen "in camera" by the majority coalition, just like our Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader.
9
The reality of a no-deal Brexit is now upon the UK. Ruth Davidson, Scottish MP has announced she is resigning. The Welsh Parliament is being re-called early to address this newest threat to the UK and to Wales. There are massive protests now being planned. Make no mistake about this; Johnson's move has moved the issues of how the British govern themselves into full focus.
This is what nationalism can devolve into. This is what isolationism can actually do to a nation; creating crisis and disharmony at the deepest of levels. This is an issue that every American needs to pay attention to, learn from and work to avoid in this country as our own Boris Johnson; Donald Trump has advocated for: Nationalism.
387
Bryan, the law is that the UK leaves the EU on October 31. Boris Johnson is trying his best to make sure the Brexit happens with as little upset as possible. Best let him do his job.
2
@Bryan
"Ruth Davidson, Scottish MP has announced she is resigning."
She's actually the Leader of the Conservative Party in Scotland. But she's not resigning over Brexit. She doesn't get on with Johnson and has had a child recently with her partner. She probably doesn't fancy the hassle of it all at this particular time.
"The Welsh Parliament is being re-called early to address this newest threat to the UK and to Wales."
Wales voted to Leave the EU. And the Brexit Party was hugely successful in the recent Euro elections. But the Parliament is not much beyond a talking shop, this is just the usual attempt by Plaid Cymru and Labour to seem relevant.
"There are massive protests now being planned. Make no mistake about this;"
No there aren't. And there haven't been either. The biggest protest around Brexit to date had c200,000 people attend according to the Metropolitan Police. The organisers claimed up to 1 million....the rest of the country just got on with things just like usual....The same people constantly protest as they like a day out with like minded people. They march in London and the rest of the country ignores it. Since time immemorial its been the same.
"This is what isolationism can actually do to a nation; creating crisis and disharmony at the deepest of levels."
This is often stated, but there really is no evidence for it. In fact by the EU's own measures the UK is still the most welcoming country for migrants in the EU, and the one most comfortable with it
4
Tim, you are spreading fake news in the vein of Mr Trump. The Metropolitan Police estimated 1.5. million anti Brexit marchers whilst the Telegraph (always unbiased, Not) estimated 200,000. Ruth Davidson is leaving her role as Conservative leader of Scotland because she has repeatedly clashed with Johnson and she is very pro EU. The UK is currently in a constitutional crisis because the supporters of Brexit simply do not care about the harm this will do to the country. Most seem stuck in wanting the empire to reappear and only white English people to live here. Democracy is at risk with Johnson’s decision to bypass parliament. We did not vote for a no deal Brexit. That was not what was promised.
37
Britain’s parliament created legislation allowing for two years to craft a deal, and that if they couldn’t do so, “no deal Brexit” would be the default outcome.
Having failed to negotiate a deal, parliament now seeks to unconstitutionally avert k the outcome it legislated.
Under these circumstances, proroguing is justified, and necessary, to prevent the institution From going rogue.
These are the facts, but so much reporting paints the opposite picture; of a right-wing leader trying to subvert democracy.
Whether you agree with Brexit or not, it is parliament that has sought to act undemocratically here.
3
This has frightening implications for the U.S. Article II, Section 3 gives the president power to adjourn Congress is the two chambers disagree on an adjourning time: The president “may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper.” So, if the House passes a major gun bill, or is about to gain access to the president's tax returns or similar, and Leader McConnell and the GOP adjourn the Senate, while Speaker Pelosi keeps her chamber open, this would tee-up a Trump version of what PM Johnson has pulled off today. Only we cannot have "snap elections" like the U.K. to correct the crisis.
3
The difference is 4 days less of Parliament. This is the longest parliament session in 400 years.
1
I am fearful about what ideas Mr. Trump may get from Mr. Johnson’s move. Hopefully, Mr. Trump’s supporters will see the financial disaster that Brexit will bring to the UK and they’ll rethink their 2020 vote.
2
Remember when we were kids, when we were scared into believing that Dec 31 was doomsday.
The Y2K dread.
Dec 31 passed and Jan 1 came along. No false nuclear launches. No electrical grid failures. Trains and planes didn't smash into each other. Our world was still intact.
Apparently the same people are back now scaring the Brits that Oct 31 is their doomsday.
Nov 1 will come along and the Brits will be just fine. They will even emerge stronger for calling the bluff on their hostage taker, the EU.
3
Britain is not exiting Europe, it is exiting the European Union.
3
So what does this do to Northern Ireland, the Irish border and the Good Friday Accords? Also since London bookies are famous for making odds on anything, does anyone know what odds they're giving for Northern Ireland leaving the U.K. over Brexit?
If the columnists ever read the news reports in the paper, they’d know Johnson recently toured Europe and politely gained agreement for a “backstop” that works for everybody. The E.U. wants to see the details fleshed out. But the agreement in principle is in place. Sending Parliament away for a month gives Johnson time to write up the proposal, edit it with the E.U., and have a complete deal in place before the deadline. Take it or leave it, the package comes up for a vote with no alternatives to split the vote. And no time for delays.
1
From one insanity to another...
It just travels over the pond to create confusion and mote stranger things.
How old is a Queen, is she acting under some advisory, what's going on.
They have the same "constitutional outrage" as we do.
Queen just made Putin the happiest person on earth, he probably thinks that he got the Queen in his pocket too.
3
We must ask again and again, what is allowing these extreme right wingers like Trump, Salvini, Bolsonaro, and Johnson to cast such large dark shadows on the world's political stage.
Are we reliving the 1930's? Frightening, indeed.
3
As a confirmed Anglophile, this is TERRIBLE to watch.
The British have always had a reputation for being clear seeing and level headed in recent decades. This is madness... piled on insanity. Brexit failed all along because it was an unworkable idea. Prosperity cannot be found by isolation from Europe. It was a delusion, quickly found to be hollow and entirely without merit - and yet, with ever wilder claims, and more ruthless action, the country has been dragged towards this cataclysm.
All to save face. Party and Ego before country.
The worst part: if the people voted now, there is NO WAY Brexit would pass! The final killing blow to British prosperity will come to a people that have been deprived of their voices, even as they are thrown over a cliff!
The face saving was easy: hold the second vote and make a big deal about the freedom and sovereignty of a democratic people. If Remain won (most likely), Conservatives would have won as the flexible, freedom voice of the people. Win-Win!
Worst of all, the Queen helped to do this. She had her moment to do the real thing for her people: a power at last - and she blew it!
This may crush the Monarchy. She should have insisted that Parliament agree before putting her approval on the suppression of the true voice of the people!
7
As John Oliver demonstrated 2 weeks ago, Johnson’s loony behavior is an act. He knows people won’t take him seriously and they are willing to write off every gaffe, thinking they are laughing with him.
However, it is an act, and people ignore it or underestimate him at their peril. He is actually intelligent, cunning, and ruthless. This move is only the beginning.
9
The Queen should speak up and act as a moral leader, even though not a political one. Her country is crumbling and she can't bring herself to speak? Does any of this even matter to the royals?
1
@Barbara, possibly she should have spoken up a year or more ago.
1
The question is, will common sense be able to outflank Boris on this now that Her Majesty has signed off. He's leading the lemmings to the sea of no return.
2
I have asked this question numerous times with the caveat of "I know that I am just an ignorant Yank, but I always thought that Parliament was the supreme authority in Britain, so how did the first Brexit vote become legally binding instead of just advisory, without Parliamentary action." In my mind I have never gotten a satisfactory answer. Anyone want a go?
3
@Milliband
I don't believe it is legally binding. I have heard it sold as a matter of principal and respect for democratic institutions, honoring the people's right to choose (4% more chose to leave) and maintaining trust in government.
The gentleman's agreement as it were, word of honor rather than a legal document.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/23/eu-referendum-legally-binding-brexit-lisbon-cameron-sovereign-parliament
1
"What Did Boris Johnson Just Do to Parliament?"
John just pulled the pin on the hand grenade.
And handed the grenade to the U.K. public.
Brexit is Johnson's version of Trump's trade war.
5
Without a written Constitution, Great Britain cannot stop Trump's Mini-Me on Downing Street.
2
He actually did something!
I thought Cromwell’s beheading of a King in 1649 ended this sort of thing..
2
That Johnson would make such an anti-democratic move should surprise no one.
3
Don't give up on your dream of buying an island in the Atlantic just yet, Donald. You might find a very good deal on one soon. And, if you play your cards right, maybe you could fulfill another dream; You could be KING!
4
bravo, Boris. You have the guts to do the right thing. People need to learn all this talk is just... talk. Let's get down to the brass tacks. Good going!
1
"What Did Boris Johnson Just Do to Parliament?"
What did Boris do? He did what his hideous doppelgänger Trump is doing: attempting—and largely achieving—the ruination of an entire country and its democracy. As in America, THIS is what happens when voters are either complacent, ignorant of history, racist toward immigrants, or more likely all three. And THIS is what happens when these voters are deaf and blind to the facts and truth in front of their faces, instead only hearing the ramblings of the nearest, shiniest "thing" on their tellies or on their silly Twitter feeds. Come to think, "feeds" is most appropriate, as they are being fed a bunch of garbage, and worse, swallowing it whole.
4
Borris broke it. Britain needed a reset anyways.
Another Titanic is coming. UK is going straight to a new low. Scotland will soon quit the boat and vote for independence.
2
Boris Johnson, once again, has placed ambition ahead of country. Early elections can help the U.K. regain its stride and a second referendum.
8
The advantage of having a written constitution is that it prevents the likes of Donald Trump from trying this sort of maneuver he would dearly like to do.
5
Lol. It’s only a piece of paper. Government is always consent and accommodation and a gentleperson’s “handshake” agreement to abide by laws and norms. You get your ducks lined up against that, anything is possible. “trump” has many ducks lined up. He’s gonna go whole hog.
4
Our parliament in Canada was prorogued when Stephen Harper was PM in a Conservative minority government. The opposition was about to introduce a no confidence motion when Harper prorogued (and survived).
It's an allowable tool of government, but there have to be very pressing reasons to use it. Neither Harper nor Johnson pass muster on that.
10
This is why America needs to be a flag-bearer of good governance and democracy and not isolationism and nationalistic.
7
When I heard that the vote was essentially 50/50 (51.89%
Remain 48.11%) I knew there were troubled waters ahead.
One cannot do a wrong thing right! "52/48" = wrong.
3
@bob
nited Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2016
National result
Choice Votes %
Leave the European Union 17,410,742 51.89%
Remain a member of the European Union 16,141,241 48.11%
Valid votes 33,551,983 99.92%
Invalid or blank votes 25,359 0.08%
Total votes 33,577,342 100.00%
Registered voters and turnout 46,500,001 72.21%
Voting age population and turnout 51,356,768 65.38%
Source: Electoral Commission
Other info:
Not one riding/constituency in Scotland voted "Leave".
The eastern third of Northern Ireland vote to "Leave".
In all major cities, they voted to "Remain".
Where "Leave" was won was in the rural, farming and industrial areas of England.
Look at the 2016 US Electoral Map to get an idea of the type of voter voted to "Leave".
Alas, people voting against their own interests do not only exist in the US.
34
@Nick Metrowsky
"In all major cities, they voted to "Remain"."
That's not true though...Birmingham, the second largest city in the UK voted Leave...along with many others
Seeing Boris Johnson's move, a light bulb (albeit only 5W) just turned on in Trump's head.
26
@David exactly what I'm thinking and dreading...
2
Good Lord - Must we all endure, yet again, an explanation of the meaning of the verb “to prorogue” as if it has any significance other then to provide an opportunity for the Posh Old Boys of Eton to demonstrate their enviable facility to revel in irrelevancy?
5
If England falls and no one hears the crash, did it make a sound?
19
Will someone please explain how a no confidence vote could be called.
1
The queen approved it because it keeps the focus off Prince Andrew's ties to Epstein.
9
Nonsense. She would have approved, as custom requires, with or without this other issue. What’s the point in conflating stories which are different? It only feeds the conspiracies theorists.
1
@Gvaltat In grave constitutional crisis she can in fact overrule.
This is a most boring matter.
I personally, as a UK citizen based in Paris, will suddenly have to register with French administration (boring, boring, boring and lots of lost time) and then my rights as an EU resident are all up in the air. SUCH A WASTE OF TIME FOR NO BENEFIT.
1
@Alex
Do I misunderstand your meaning of "boring?"
1
All citizens must be reminded the people are their government, and their government is the people. That is the cornerstone of democracy.
When a public official works to silence or undermine government itself, he is working to usurp the people's sovereign right and power to govern themselves.
Here, Johnson is taking the coward's way: curb Parliament's time to debate and vote the issue. Why? Because time, reality and changing votes may turn MPs against his plan.
Despots and dictators close their parliaments. Tin-pot bullies and cowards rail against and defy their congresses.
Anyone remember the Reichstag fire? Not many congressional votes happened after that move. What came of it? Absolute dictatorship.
If you think these anti-democratic tyrants are merely in old history books, think again. They are with us today.
13
Trump is a student of Putin, Johnson is a student of McConnell. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
12
You know the season 2 episode of Black Mirror where a woman is being hunted around a housing complex, and all the people she tries to ask for help are just filming her with their phones and laughing, and at the end you kind of lose sympathy for her for a very specific reason? This is kind of how I feel about Brexit. Boris Johnson and his cronies are running around like idiots and all I want to do is watch and laugh, because I know that - unlike the people of England who will bear the true brunt of this disaster - they RICHLY deserve it.
2
It is worth keeping tabs on this petition asking for parliament not to be prorogued. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/269157. Signatures already exceed by several fold the number of people that voted for Johnson as PM.
1
Well to AirStrip One!
Dictators are dictators no matter the geography, race, religion or the politics. Johnson joins trump, Putin Kim Jong Un, MBS and others. Maybe they should all have a mutual admiration society get together at Mara Lago.
4
Just stop tourism and we have a cure.
3
There is no constitutional crisis in the UK. Today it has been conclusively demonstrated that the UK does not have a constitution, or at a minimum that it is impossible to find it, so impossible to have a crisis...
What a pathetic imitation of democracy..!
8
What Johnson has probably done is brought Parliament to it's end, by that I mean that Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland and all the Unions will secede and Great Britain will be on it's own.
Three hundred years down the toilet.
9
If the monarchy serves any purpose, then a “no” should be an option. While it makes sense to defer to PM to prorogue parliament, I would hope, like a judge telling a jury to keep deliberating, she should instruct parliament to exhaust all means to avoid a hard brexit.
1
The answer to the question you mischievously ask in the title is not something that is fit to print here, I assume.
2
Call for a no confidence vote
Sideline HIM
3
Old England is Dying.
1
There is not enough reporting on the N Ireland & Scotland front about plans to declare independence from UK. Wales too. Who are the key politicians driving the effort? Any polling data to report?
Can't wait to see those balls rolling now that Boris has kicked it off.
3
Brexit boils down to nothing more than fondness for the British Empire, which Brexit supporters remember fondly through rose-colored glasses. "Why couldn't Britain just be great again?" they ask themselves.
They are about to find out. While a complete "no deal" Brexit is unfathomable, it is difficult to imagine a comprehensive deal that could be both beneficial to the U.K. and agreeable to the E.U. Scotland and Ireland won't stand for the consequences of Brexit (however achieved), and will realize they would be better off with the E.U. than with the U.K. (as their voters already know). And London, which for years appeared on a trajectory to be the West's most important business hub, will lose much of its luster to international corporations, many of which are already looking elsewhere.
Government plans built on pride in the past tend to destroy more than they create.
7
Why in the world have Labour members allowed the universally disliked Jeremy Corbyn (who has waffled about his stand on Brexit for half a decade) to remain their leader all these years?
There are hundreds of thousands of disaffected Conservatives, and non-voters from across the spectrum, who would vote in a heartbeat for ANYONE other than Boris Johnson OR Jeremy Corbyn.
If Labour would just lose Corbyn, they would win the general election.
7
@Concerned the Labour membership have a say in who is party leader and pretty much universally they endorsed Corbyn, how undemocratic is that.
2
I’ve always been fascinated by the English Constitution, particularly how it relies on.a delicate balance of the Crown and the institutions flowing from it versus the Parliament. The great fiction is that Parliament only gives advice to the Queen and she enacts laws as she sees fit. The formula for the Royal Assent generally reads, “Be it enacted, on the advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, By Her Majesty’s Command, Elizabeth R.” The reality is different. The Queen is for the most part at the mercy of the Parliament. I believe it was Sir Walter Bagehot who said in his treatise on the English Constitution that the King would have to sign his own death warrant.
There’s always been this tension between the Parliament and the Crown. One could think of it as constitutional mutually assured destruction that acts as a deterrent against stepping out of bounds. Unfortunately, Johnson has introduced a new wrinkle. As PM he has asked the Queen to curtail the Parliament’s authority. She’s duty-bound to grant the request. But this has significant consequences.
I went to school in Britain. I remember attending the Golden Jubilee service at Durham Cathedral. I got to sit up in the Great Quire (the benefit befriending one of the vergers.) I’ve stood seven feet away from the Queen. C.H.H. Perry’s I Was Glad is still my favoriy. I’m not a natural Republican.
But I’m afraid Johnson has reminded us of the dark and dangerous side of monarchy. It must be abolished.
2
@Matt F, Britain does not have a written, codified constitution.
He's doing what trump has done with emoluments, ethics, nepotism, pardons and more. Find a loophole to crawl through that is not guarded by a law, one that has previously been off-limits in principal and out of respect for the office and the democratic process and use it as a battering ram. I'm betting there will be more to come.
8
Boris Johnson is the tidy package of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell rolled into one! There is no standard, convention or requirement that cannot succumb to their personal interpretation allowing the implementation of their plans no matter how bad or their countries, peoples or the world.
8
I don't understand it. But then I don't understand why Parliament took a summer holiday with Brexit looming. I also don't understand how the permanent schoolboy type (touseled hair, uncontrolled appetites, fibbing) inspires enough confidence that they'd want him to lead the country through this mess.
Of course, I also don't understand the durable appeal of Donald Trump over here.
12
Boris keeps forgetting that the EU is not on his side. Just because he can bamboozle the MPs does not mean he can get an approval from the EU.
2
In other words, business as usual in one of Europe's most dysfunctional and arcane democracies.
1
If you suspend Parliament like this, what's likely next is King Charles III, not "head of government" PM Johnson, eh? There were infamous efforts to suspend Parliament (an ancient and revered institution in England that has a history very different from the Vatican, not least of which in the substantive participation of women as law-makers and law-givers) during Britain's Civil Wars (c. 1600-1689) during which Charles I was tried and executed and Charles II's son James II was deposed in favor of his elder sisters (Mary II (co-regnant with William III) and Anne)). The Long Parliament (1640-1660), which debated some of the concepts that would later become part of the U.S. Constitution, was famously convened as a result of the suspensions of Parliament).
QEII has less than two years to go before she turns 95, when she has said she will turn the vast majority of her responsibility over to Charles. Methinks the English will not tolerate three Kings Regnant in a row coming up next, though (probably a hundred years' worth) and big questions will be raised about at least deposing the Hanovers or abolishing the monarchy altogether (the vast majority of the value of it has been the existence of the Queens Regnant and the Hanoverian Dynasty appears to be persisting in not following English law internally).
1
@Colorado Renader
You mix up the family tree. Mary and Anne were daughters of James 2, who was the brother, not the son, of Charles 2.
1
The prorogation of the UK parliament has Stephen Harper written all over it. Harper, Canada's former Prime minister used it in Canada. He is now part of some conservative body helping right wing governments around the world. The whole deal is a scam to cut down the chances of debate by opposition parties.
1
This entire fiasco is the result of the Conservatives trying save themselves from the threat of the xenophobic fringe of Britain's far right.
Then-Prime Minister, David Cameron, trying to stave off the increasing popularity of the right-wing UKIP Party agreed to give Britain a referendum on its E.U. membership.
He believed Britain would vote to remain in the E.U. -- taking away UKIP's reason for being.
The British people voted to leave -- after being consistently lied to, and given assurances that a deal to leave the E.U. on beneficial terms would be easy to achieve. (Both Russia and Cambridge Analytica were involved in the manufacture and dissemination of those lies.)
Cameron resigned and fled the scene, knowing the Parliamentary and national havoc that was about to ensue.
Theresa May became Prime Minister only to be confronted with an impossible and -- for her -- insoluble situation. After two-and-a-half years of fruitless fumbling, she also resigned.
In the meantime, UKIP fell apart -- thanks to its xenophobia, racism and in-fighting -- only to be replaced by the new and very popular (with those who wanted to leave the E.U.) Brexit Party.
The Brexit Party was the product of Donald Trump's 'friend', Nigel Farage, who also founded UKIP.
Challenged to the right of the Conservative Party by the rise of the Brexit Party, Boris Johnson is desperately trying to save the Conservative Party at the ballot box by enacting an At-Any-Cost Brexit.
It won't and can't succeed.
3
Although I will not pretend to understand the dynamics of Brexit, there is a striking similarity on two counts to the U.S. processes. First, your 'legislature' appears to work approximately 25 days in a two month period. They must get exhausted, just like our two chambers. Secondly, you appear to have elected a fellow who possesses disdain for what I assume is a co-equal branch of government. We have one of those as well and it is posing some rather nasty problems. Good luck and carry on!
2
The suspension of the British parliament at a moment that calls urgently for democratic debate is nothing less than the suspension of democratic governance in the world's cradle of democracy. It shows clearly what authoritarians are prepared to do in order to force their will on their jurisdictions regardless of circumstances or public opinion.
Boris Johnson acceded to his high public office on the strength of less than 1% of the British voting public, not much but enough, apparently, to shape the course of British history for a long time going forward.
Meanwhile, in America, we learn that clowns and comedians lusting for power are existentially dangerous.
2
I am so tired of the idea (mentioned by a few commentators here) that the UK has to leave because of the faceless Bureaucrats in Brussels dictating policy. On the contrary, EU disfunction is for a reason precisely the opposite of the lies about faceless bureaucrats in Brussels. The EU has so many levels of democracy and checks and balances that any dispute by a small minority leads to paralysis. It is utter nonsense that the UK has had anything important applied unwillingly to the UK. When the UK or some other country disagrees then that country has been exempted, time and time again. Because the EU is too democratic for its own good, much does not get done, and some of what does get done applies only to a subset of willing countries.
1
All that prevents a meaningful, parliamentary challenge to the show the Leave faction have been putting on these past years is the broad unpopularity of J. Corbyn, beyond his faction within Labour. Unhappy & politically uncomfortable Tories will not vote "no confidence" and risk bringing Corbyn into Downing Street. Nor is the country at large enthusiastic about such a prospect. So, everyone is safe in his and her ineffectual position. With a new person at the head of Labour, though, every one's calculus -- Labour and Tory alike -- would have to change. Yes, BoJo and his buddies have created a mess. But the blindness of a large faction of Labour leave them bearing responsibility too. On the bright side however, Americans have learned a new word: prorogation. And what a plummy one it is.
I applaud the U.K.’s desire to become our puppet. By the time all is said and done, though, there might not be much left of the U.K.
4
I wonder if this is another tick of the clock toward the end of civilization. Like in “Book of Eli” or something, is this part of the story folks will tell, about how thousands of years of mankind bettering his lot, everything fell apart? Because of the greed or shortsightedness of a few people?
Brexit was Cambridge Analytics brainwashing and propaganda -- as largely was the election of Trump. It needs a second vote now that the reality of Brexit's repercussions (ignored initially) have set in.
4
I Don’t Get Why The Writer Is ascribing any Action To Boris Other Than His Begging the Queen of England to suspend parliament. Boris has no power here, and if the Queen is as smart as she is portrayed, she will NOT allow this privileged low-life (Johnson) to box her into a corner and make the decision of a no-deal Brexit the Queen of England’s problem.
Johnson’s move reduces the number of days to debate Brexit by a week or so. The real question is why Parliament, knowing they had a 31 Oct 2019 deadline to debate a monumental move, trotted off on their usual 5-week summer break, and have apparently blithely been planning their usual 3-week Sep/Oct annual party conference break. Voted Remain, but appalled by everyone.
7
Up until October 29th, British people are allowed to freely live and work in Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and 20 other countries.
As of October 20th, Brits will not be allowed to work in or move to any other E.U. countries.
Nice going Boris.
2
A day will come when Boris Trump is gone and Great Britain will apply for EU status.
Donald Johnson is a flash in the pan.
2
@King Philip, His majesty: It may very well be that Great Britain will (re-)apply for EU status in the future, but: Every single EU member would have the power to reject that application, everyone would have to approve.
I would think it is not exactly a forgone conclusion that the UK would be let back in.
1
In a nutshell, Boris Johnson is the equivalent to Trump. Power is everything.
2
Prorogation is legitimate. Johnson knows what he is doing. It's a smart move.
1
Let the economic collapse begin. The pain can't start coming soon enough for the irresponsible people who put these demagogues into office.
6
I'm not saying that Boris Johnson is a Russian agent tasked to destroy Europe as we know it, and to turn the UK into a third world country. But if he were, he would do the same things he is doing now.
9
Prorogue, if parsed and applied to Mr. Johnson, finds an apt subject, a pro rogue, an unprincipled professional. Dangerous times for us all.
3
It's about leadership.
This afternoon, the Queen accepted Mr. Johnson's request to suspend Parliament.
Boris Johnson has been the UK's PM for about a month. In that time, he has achieved more than his predecessor, Theresa May, did in three years.
2
@Mike Edwards really? what exactly has he achieved?
1
I believe the British expression is “ mucked “.
Pretty close.
1
Cui bono? Can anyone follow the money? Does the City of London financial cartel smell total liberation from regulation? There was a danger, I would imagine, in the American forfeiture of all moral restraint, that European regulators might have felt obligated to restrict London banking. The nutcases made the break but are the big boys seeing the opportunity of the century for themselves?
1
Will the British allow Johnson to treat and cheat them like Trump does it with the Americans? Surprised.
Actually, Europe is holding Johnson's Johnson and he is emensly unpopular in Brussels. He get nothing regarding the backstop and he is a schoolboy dodging and ducking the Master.
2
We can hear the Scots hollering all the way here in New York.
1
All you need to know is that "Western democracy" is a fraud.
Don't brexit.
So, the only things from stopping Johnson from committing an atrocity is Her Majesty the Queen. Queen Elizabeth II is a very intelligent lady and certainly will put the needs of her realm above those of Boris Johnson.
As it stands now, Johnson is acting like a dictator and autocrat. If he maanges to get away with what he is doing, other countries leaders will try to do the same thing; skirt and manipulate democracy to their own whims. This includes our our "president".
So, this is no longer a UK, or EU problem it has now become a world problem with serious implications against free democracy. Let's hope Her Majesty makes the right choice on the side of democracy.
1
Boris Johnson is a latter day Guy Fawkes. Fawkes' Gunpowder Plot failed to blow up King James I and the Parliament on November 5, 1605.
Unlike Fawkes and his chief conspirators, who were sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered for their plot, it appears BoJo's more subtle ploy of destroying Parliament by adjournment will be much more successful, as will his ultimate aim to dismember the UK.
You can see in the photo, the Queen's hat, blue with yellow stars, mimics the EU flag, which was her quiet way of expressing her support for the UK to be in the EU in this speech, which Johnson just blew away. She doesn't talk politics, but she lets her wishes be known. Johnson is a boor.
2
UK does not have a manufacturing base and they have been on a decline on several sectors for long. The NHS has decayed so much that it’s workforce has been desperate to relocate to places like Australia for last 20 years.
Most of UK’s wealth came from its colonies. The seeds of division sowed when they left them have adverse repercussions to this day in almost all of their colonies.
I have observed many of their parliamentary sessions and it is obvious that they are trapped in their past and their style gives the impression that their style is unlikely to be an efficient way to govern.
It is said that the British have the cleanest thinking minds. If we were to go by this Brexit saga and the uncertainty they bring to themselves, they are far from thinking even commonsense.
May be they have to go through a turmoil to reinvent themselves to find their place in the world.
Rest of the world doesn’t care about Brexit and probably mildly amused in the meantime!
1
I concede that Johnson's proroguing is not ideal, and that a number of people are upset by it, but it very well may be a shrewd and pragmatic move to finally secure a Brexit deal.
If Theresa May's premiership proved anything it is that Parliament is incapable of agreeing on a Brexit deal. Her own plan was voted down several times, and multiple votes on hypothetical Brexit strategies revealed that none have a majority in the House of Commons. If it weren't for a last-minute extension, a no-deal Brexit would have taken place solely because Parliament cannot get the job done.
As someone who has worked in the House of Commons, I cannot blame Boris for being skeptical of it nor its bureaucracy. This proroguing--which is completely legal if inconveniently timed--simply amps up the pressure on Parliament. When the new session begins, Parliament will have little choice but accept the deal Boris places before them. He has learned from his predecessor's failures.
As a fan of democracy I can't say I'm thrilled with Mr. Johnson's latest move, but as a tactician I respect it. Those criticizing Boris ought to try seeing things from his perspective. He can't just put another deal to Parliament, as it will likely be voted down, and he can't trust them to come up with an alternative on their own. He is in a nigh-impossible situation, and has made a shrewd decision in an attempt to extricate himself--and the country--from it.
3
Good for Boris. It is pathetic the way the opposition has tried to undo the referendum that supported Brexit. Those who didn't like the vote have been trying to have a revote, a spectacularly dangerous idea. Johnson is perfectly within his power to use this maneuver. It is certainly not a routine action, but it has been used in the past. It may work or it may fail, but Brexit is coming and the country has to get beyond the morass. Of course, in the U.S., this move will be seen as some kind of fascism rather than simply tough politics.
16
“Some kind of fascism.”
The only thing, Bruce, this isn’t like ordering the wrong dessert. Once it comes to the table, you have to eat it, no matter how unappetizing.
33
@Bruce
The referendum was advisory and not binding. The courts have previously confirmed that. They also confirmed that Parliament (i.e. not the Prime Minister, who is one member among 600 odd) is the ultimate decider. What Boris is trying to do is use the deadline given to the UK by the EU to limit parliament's ability to act. Boris affected the referendum result via blatant misinformation, so this is essentially a coup, and just the sort of thing Trump would do if given half a chance.
82
@Bruce It is some kind of fascism!
26
If Johnson does get away with what he is doing, expect Scotland and Northern Ireland to leave the UK. Scotland voted against Brexit (that is remain in the EU), as did Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland has more to lose, because the border between it and the Republic of Ireland will be sealed once more. It may be enough to start up the "troubles" all over again. Or; It may also cause that two state, one nation merger of the two Irish states.
Without Scotland and Northern Ireland, England's and Wale's economies will crash, and with it the Pound. No insult to Wales here, but England will lose a great deal without Scotland and Northern Ireland.
36
@Nick Metrowsky
"Without Scotland and Northern Ireland, England's and Wale's economies will crash, and with it the Pound. No insult to Wales here, but England will lose a great deal without Scotland and Northern Ireland."
Wow.
Meanwhile in the real world...
Northern Ireland and Scotland are essentially wholly reliant on fiscal transfers from England, in particular south east England. NI requires c£20 billion annually to keep going. Thats 50% of the entire NI government expenditure. Scotland is in the same boat albeit to a slightly lesser degree. But they still required £12 billion last year, and there is no sign of this changing as their demographics are appalling, population is shrinking and their education system is falling down the rankings year on year.
In contrast England actually runs a decent surplus when NI, Scotland and Wales are excluded from the figures....
Like most people over here we're quite happy if the Scots and Northern Irish decide to go their own way (suspect the Welsh won't though). Good luck to them if they do. But the handouts stop on independence day....and that won't be pretty. I'm sure long term they'll figure things out, but they'll be in trouble for the first few years, possibly longer.
These circumstance seems ideal for a President of the United States who appreciates the inherent conflict within trade negotiations. The U.S. can negotiate some comprehensive deal with the U.K. because the situation in Great Britain is fraught with suspense.
The British Parliament could come up with a plan but there is no incentive for the EU to agree to it. It's been 3 years. What miracle is going to happen now?
21
Wrong..! The British Parliament has demonstrated that it is NOT able to come up with a plan... Have you not followed the news over the past 30 months..?
@k kelly
In fact, the EU has a defnite incentive to make the UK suffer as much as possible, to deter other countries from invoking Article 50.
It shouldn’t be Corbyn, but a doctrinaire Tory to call for a vote of no confidence. Johnson has a one vote margin, including the DUP in Northern Ireland. It seems highly unlikely that he would survive that vote. Then the UK could beg the EU for more time to make a deal, which they might get. Might.
2
I' have joined in the American Revolution- I am not a monarchist- we died and fought and won to be free of King George et al. BUT I DO HAVE a question- and it may display ignorance on my part - Cannot the Queen or Charles from outrage- stating that it is her land (and the people's) and that she wishes to stay with the E.U.; and too- being familiar a bit with Charle's smarts and his young heirs (who seem cool and liberal)- and YOUNG" can they prevent it- after all the Young of Britain with the help of wizened older people voted to stay. I guess royalty is the just useless in every way if they have absolutely no power to affect the saving of their land and future?
8
@milo reice The British and Dutch courts are playing ONLY a ceremonial role. That’s why they are popular. The Belgian royals have still real power, that’s why they are less popular. Sounds strange does it, but that’s the way how European monarchies work nowadays.
13
@milo reice
Nope. She’s the figurehead atop the ruling Parliament.
1
@robert Thankyou- then they are just mere logos
When the economy of Britain crashes thereby initiating a global recession, will Johnson accept blame and responsibility?
Somehow I think not.
This does not bode well for the world.
81
Your very correct. What is more disturbing is that Mr. Johnson seems nearly identical in appearance and action as our fake president and game show host here in the States.
Best for the young to leave Britain as soon as possible to enjoy better lives for themselves and their children. Tragic, and yet so is the trajectory of the USA or Russia at this time in history. Makes me wonder if people genetically desire chaos as a lifestyle? I think not, however it’s politicians apparently seem to.
4
@dog lover
"This does not bode well for the world."
Then why wasn't it discussed at the recent gathering of G7 leaders, 4 of whom are from EU countries?
The world really couldn't care less.
1
@dog lover it bodes very well for the super rich, who will snatch up tons of cheap property that everyone else is forced to sell when the economy tanks. Then they can rent that land back to people for even more!
6
The vote itself was three years ago. The main people in favor were older voters. Young people are not in favor at all since it simply means fewer opportunities for them.
Since the time of the vote many of those older voters have passed on while people who were too young to vote at that time are now over 18.
It's very likely the vote would go the other way if held today.
119
@Peter Piper Why would so many of the voters have died in the last three years?
2
@Peter Piper
It's a lovely idea, one that has been clung to by the left for decades that the dying out of the old will lead to utopia in the future. But the young get old...and change.
The reality is, as John Curtice regularly explains, is that there has been no appreciative movement in the numbers over the last 3 years. Both sides have dug in. There will be Leavers who have changed sides, but there also Remainers who are democrats at heart and who realise that the vote needs to be upheld.
1
@Peter Piper not that many people have died in 3 years, so this seems more like wishful thinking to me. The EU seems to be extraordinarily unpopular with wide portions of the UK populations.
1
Some commenters are saying this was the 'democratic will of the people'.
In fact, 1.5 million Brits who live in the E.U. were not allowed to vote, even though they are the ones the vote would have the most direct impact on.
In the end, Leave side won by about 1.5 million votes.
54
@Peter Piper
That's a complete lie I'm afraid.
There are only 850,000 British citizens in the EU27 (ONS figures). 150,000 of those are under the age of 18, and therefore not eligible to vote in elections. Which leaves c700,000 potential voters. Less than 150,000 of that 700,000 had been out of the UK for over 15 years and were thus not eligible to vote, the remaining 550,000 were perfectly able to vote, and research and voting returns show that the majority did...
There isn't some magical number of uncounted or disenfranchised citizens to be added to any totals. It's also a massive leap to assume that they would all automatically vote to remain...
Leave also won by 1.2 million votes.
8
Both those seeking to avoid crashing out and those seeking it seem to be focused entirely on Brexit and to share the assumption that avoiding a no-deal Brexit is Mr. Corbyn's primary objective and he'll do anything to try for it. Maybe. But isn't there a possibility that what he most wants is a crash out totally owned by the Tory Party followed by a vote of no confidence, say, six to eighteen months later?
6
@Jeff Atkinson
Digging out from the ashes of an economic collapse? I don’t think Corbyn relishes that task. It is emblematic of distrust in Corbyn that the events of the past three years, including a record repudiation of a sitting Prime Minister in the vote on the deal the Maybot negotiated, that Corbyn never ever came close to being able to form a government, even with the Tories in utter disarray.
2
People voted narrowly for Brexit but not what type of Brexit. The reason the Bexiteers are so reluctant to put a no-deal Brexit to a referendum is that far fewer than half of the voters wanted that in 2016. They were told the negotiation would be easy. Now, that option is quite likely even less popular. The crisis is that there is no electoral mandate for a no-deal Brexit. This problem is compounded by the fact that this option is being forced through by a minority party with a leader untested by an election and propped up by a sectarian party from Northern Ireland that commands less than 30% of the vote there; the Northern Irish people voted by a large margin to stay in the EU.
122
@Dnain1953
I hear trade wars are easy to win also.
6
@Dnain1953. Soon, Ireland will be united.
So much for democracy, not to mention, rationality.
This can't be good for Britain let alone the West in general.
69
The UK should never have joined the EU in the first place. About time they got out any way they can. There will be pain. Lots of it. But better than Britain living under the tyranny of faceless EU bureaucrats in (of all places) Brussels. Churchill was hated too but he saved Britain. So if Northern Ireland reunites with the Irish in the Republic, so be it. The UK will be better off for ending four centuries of colonial occupation.
10
You really need to stop listening to American (hate filled) talk radio and instead read some actual EU newspapers. The U.K. joined the EU of its own volition and has benefited greatly from it’s membership. The UK has a voice in the EU and has used their veto vote more times than any other EU nation.
I get it, a small majority of the U.K.wants out of the EU, fine. It would seem that they were never fully committed to being a part of the EU since they disagreed with many EU policies. At the same time that the U.K. wants to exit it would still very much like to keep all the benefits that being an EU member state provided (like EU subsidies).
The EU was a concept that through cooperation and trade wars could be avoided. This major tenant seems to be overlooked when discussing a major country leaving and weakening this successful mission. The US should provide leadership and not decisiveness. The cost of instability is great and it would seem that the USA of late is in the destabilizing column.
108
@Civilized Man
The reunification of Ireland will not be an easy path or even a given. Meanwhile, Scotland will exit. Wales may exit, too. If exiting the EU will cause so much damage to the UK, maybe it was a good thing?
4
@Civilized Man
Still I agree that GB should let Northern Ireland go. Let them figure it out with their Catholic brethren.
Scotland will go in any case.
Just England and Wales.
Not GB but may be gB!
Who cares! Enough already!
Move on.
Oh, if only they will crash out! And crash economically. The clear end of Imperial Britain, finally. The world will be able to focus on the remaining imperialists, America and China, one also having peaked if not actually already declining and the other rising again for the first time in 500 years. Will the remaining EU get its act together and reformulate a Europe that can, as a coherent whole, form a competing imperium?
13
The UK need's to have a new referendum on Brexit with no deal: yes or no. The previous referendum was ambiguous, deceit-racked and the 50-50 outcome is basically a mandate for nothing.
If there is really a clear majority for an unambigous undonditional break with the EU, then it is now way past overdue to actually have a clear vote endorsing exactly that (or rejecting it). If Johnson does not agree to such a vote, then boot him out. This should be for the British people to decide, not him.
28
@Sage
"The previous referendum was ambiguous"
Here's the actual question that was asked...
"Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?”
Seems pretty clear cut and unambiguous. The question itself was debated at Parliament and amended with the independent Electoral Commissions guidance.
The problem with a second referendum is that those who lost the first one want a re-run with 'Remain' on the ballot paper. This is utterly rejected by the Leave side as the question has already been asked and answered. If a second referendum could be set up asking a question regarding the status that should be sought after leaving the EU i.e. no-deal or EEA/EFTA membership it would receive broad support from both sides. But any attempt to re-run the original referendum, without implementing the result would be profoundly un-democratic, and quite frankly dangerous.
3
@Sage
A second referendum?
Best of 3? Best of 7?
This is not the World Series.
@Tim
Ah, yes, but what form of Brexit? That was ambiguous.
Hence May's 'Brexit means Brexit'. No need to utter such nonsense if there's no ambiguity.
The referendum lost some of its ambiguity in the way that politicians discussed it - most notably in the assurances that no deal would be avoided.
But still nobody really knew what the reality of Brexit might be.
And so it was reckless not to offer a second referendum on its final form.
The real problem with a referendum on the actual form of Brexit is that, well...there is no problem with one. Unless you prefer less democracy, not more.
1
He's definitely in the mold of trump. If you don't think you will like what they might say, just refuse to open the doors.
Wonderful - democracy breaking out all over in this most inspired and high-minded of times.
7
@Plennie Wingo
Yes, but much more intellignent and a directed misschief....
Parliament refused to work with Teresa May to solve the Brexit quandary for over a year. Why should Boris Johnson expect a better result? This sounds like a reasonable shot across the bow to get their attention that he is serious about moving forward with or without them.
8
@Jack Agreed & I don't support the party, but it's the only way they can move forward.
@Jack
Sorry he cannot move on without them. It is Parliament that is sovereign not the executive . He is only Prime Minister if he can command a majority in the Commons without the will of Parliament the executive has no authority
1
Hard Brexit could be the spark that not only breaks apart the UK, but also triggers a global recession. What are they thinking?
56
@Voter Boris is thinking of all the rubles that will be deposited to a bank account that Boris has access to. Nothing else really matters.
4
@Voter
You're assuming they ARE thinking???
3
Mr. Johnson seems like another Trump but with whiter hair.
Leaving the EU with or without a Brexit deal would be a huge mistake for that country. The countries in the EU need each other economically and militarily. It seems to me that Mr. Johnson's rash move to save himself (and promote isolationist views) will end up ruining that country - and may have a rippling effect on Ireland as well.
I just wonder what the people of Briton think at this point a few years after that vote took place. It's sad how one vote has already caused so much havoc for that country. But then again, didn't we (the USA) vote in Trump?
36
@AP
Well, no, "we" didn't vote for Trump. He was installed by the Electoral College, thanks to a handful of voters spread over 3 states, with a little help from James Comey, voter suppression and Vladimir Putin.
@AP Not the majority of us, but thanks to the Electoral College, here we are.
AP, the European Union has no military, though Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel want to form one. The United Kingdom will remain in NATO, which is all that matters militarily.
As for economic matters, the United Kingdom was fine with the common market but not all the rest of the European Union integration. There will be pros and cons economically to leaving the European Union, but no one knows on balance how it will turn out in the end. We'll never really know.
As for havoc, what havoc? There's a bunch of politicians tearing their hair out but that's what politicians do. Unless something unforeseen happens, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union on October 31.
Whether with or without a deal will not matter much. The basic terms will remain the some. And any havoc will be short-lived and over quickly. Life will go on. It always does.
3
No, but seriously, what did the Britons expect from this PM? Why is anyone surprised with Johnson's outrageous behavior? Boris Johnson is in charge. Brace, brace, brace for impact!
46
@Mary Boris was not elected. There was no opportunity to vote for him. He was chosen by 140,000 party members to replace the resigning prime minister.
British people had little choice in the matter.
53
@Peter Piper: Yes, and that's how it always works in parliamentary systems.
Another feature of such systems is that a no-confidence vote can quickly result in new elections.
Stand by.
16
@Peter Piper
Other than the people of his district, nobody has been able to vote Johnson up or down. In fact, many more people considered him when he ran for Mayor of London.
The same can be said lf Cameron, whose disastrous miscalculation of a Brexit vote triggered this cascade of disaster. The same can be said of Theresa May who dutifully tried to clean up Cameron’s disaster, and unnecessarily acceded to “the will of the people” and tried to negotiate a Brexit she never believed in herself.
That’s how the cookie crumbles in a parliamentary system.
1
With so much at stake, perhaps the queen should have dispensed with the tradition of granting all prorogation requests, appearances/unspoken norms be darned. Obama's strict adherence to norms, along with threats from McConnell, are why we didn't know the extent of Russian election interference until well after the election. If now is not a time for boldness, I don't know what is.
54
Should the G7 start talks on replacing Britain with another country? They will no longer be a primary player after United Kingdom separates. Mexico or Brazil are two countries that might be good choices.
30
@CA Dreamer There are no current plans for the U.K. to 'separate', whatever that means.
@CA Dreamer
Mexico, just to thumb their noses at Trump...
1
@Peter Piper
I think Dreamer means “separates itself from the EU.”
With no deal, the UK will be a second rate power, with no deal with its biggest, closest trading partner, and needing to cut a bunch of separate deals with trading partners knowing its desperate position. Suboptimal.
1
Mr. Johnson has accelerated the harm of a no-deal Brexit. We are witnessing Britain's surrender of its historical role in the World. Bad news for British industry and commerce. Good news for Germany, France, Italy, US and the Russians. All this because the Brits don't like foreign shop-girls in their stores and pubs. Madness.
15
@LeonardBarnes It is a wee bit annoying that Poles, Bulgarians and Romanians can freely move to the U.K., but Americans, Australians and Canadians can't.
2
I seem to recall a certain world leader being praised by this very paper for such statements as "I have a phone and a pen" and "If Congress won't act, I will" to challenge and bypass an obstructionist legislature.
Recent polling indicates that 54% of Britons support an October 31 Brexit, even if it means "No Deal". MPs who would thwart the will of the majority should be thankful that BoJo isn't calling for a general election, wherein many of these subversives would face strong challenges from Brexit Party candidates.
5
@Charles
And on November 1, 100% of the UK population will regret a "no deal" exit when they realize what it means.
@Charles
You got a link to that poll? Seems farfetched.
2
@Charles
not sure where you got that stat from, but the latest polling shows that 47% of Brits oppose suspension of parliament vs 27% who support it
The last survey on the subject of no deal showed that only 25% think it would be a positive outcome vs 50% who would see it as a negative outcome
1
The all-important distinction between this prorogation and its precedents is the *intention*.
Johnson's intention here is to thwart the sovereignty of parliament.
We all know it. And that is what will be argued in court.
Anyone buying the line that this is normal practice and happens all the time will, frankly, believe anything at all.
37
Remember Theresa May? You know, the Prime Minister who attempted and attempted and attempted to draw up a Brexit plan that was workable? Remember opinion pieces (coming from both sides of the Atlantic) in the NYT piling on her because she refused advice, was distant, and didn’t know how to schmooze?
Things are so much better now that she is gone. Right?
If there is anything good about this most recent turn of events it is this: we can jettison the three years of suspense and finally get to that rousing blockbuster disaster.
66
@The North -- I like that image the "rousing blockbuster disaster". Cue the ominous music and watch as the crazed Blond Prime minister launches Britains nuclear arsenal at itself. Where is James Bond when you need him?
3
Excellent article about Boris Johnson in the latest issue of "The New York Review of Books," written by Fintan O'Toole. The title, "The Ham of Fate," says it all.
26
@Robert Wood Thank you!
Parliament has been doing pretty well for three centuries until Boris Johnson came along to violate democracy. By halting the House of Commons from debating Brexit—Boris Johnson believes he is the government and only he can make decisions on behalf of the people. It's a power grab along the lines of Trump. He's an authoritarian populist who uses the cult of personality to get his way. Johnson's limitless ambition far exceeds his political skills to carry out those ambitions. So he takes short cuts.
Winston Churchill, Maggie Thatcher, Tony Blair, Clement Atlee and the whole lot of them are freaking out in their respective earthly and heavenly quarters. I don't think the Queen had enough warning or explanation when she agreed to this one. Or maybe she's smarter than we realize and agreed so Boris could hoist himself on his own petard. God Save the Queen. God Stop Boris.
35
@TR Just like Trump, Johnson wants to be King, only Johnson is smart enough to pull it off.
There's no honor among thieves. Since they can't persuade the Brits to back Brexit, they'll hijack parliament. Surely the majority of the U.K. plus the European Union can stop this travesty.
12
@betty durso
"Since they can't persuade the Brits to back Brexit"
Apart from the referendum, the biggest democratic exercise in British history, when they did you mean?
"Surely the majority of the U.K. plus the European Union can stop this travesty."
There has been little movement in the Leave and Remain support since the referendum. The EU has no jurisdiction in this at all.
2
@Tim
How is it the biggest democratic exercise in British history? Britain invented parliamentary democracy, the EU referendum has almost destroyed it.
2
"prorogation"
On the other side of the pond it means "filibuster"
1
It is all about shoving down the throat what he wants, Theresa may couldn't succeed in democratic way, Boris already figured out how to do it.
Coup d etat style
This will really test British soul.
18
The Brits stupidly, foolishly, rashly, voted in a plebiscite to leave the EU. They then stupidly, foolishly, rashly elected a clown to Parliament and the jester is now the Prime Minister. Go figure. But Johnson was duly elected -- apparently with no help from a michievous foreign power -- and is now wielding the power he was authorized to use. So, Parliament, either call for a vote of no confidence, elect a different buffoon, and call for a new plebiscite or honor the will of the stupid, foolish, rash populace and let the chips fall where they may. (Very likely they'll fall in the lap of China and Germany.)
16
@lhc Just 92,153 elderly, rich Conservative Party members voted Boris in as Prime Minister. No-one else in Britain had any say at all.
4
I am even more grateful that The Founding Fathers chose a Republic as our form of government (https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=nyt+nappy), what a hot mess in GB!
1
@WorkingGuy
And yet, you have Donald Trump...
3
Let us see if HRM is amused.
C.Hammer I must imagine Her Majesty is furious she has seen countless P.Ms come and go she has seen Britain go through very hard times as well as boom times, she saw the affects of WW2 , the coal miners strike, the affects of Thatcherism, IRA terrorism in the heart of her city's , followed by terrorism my Al Qaeda, Isis inspired madmen, she also saw the growth of the financial sector in the City of London, the great work of the country's beloved NHS.
Only a few years ago the Scottish voted to remain in the U.K. to her delight. Can you imagine how she feels now after decades on the throne , her country divided like never before, the economy slugging along, its growth rate lower than that of the E.U average. She may see in her lifetime the U.K divided Scotland and Norther Ireland never wanted Brexit if the Scottish have another referendum it's very likely they will leave , if God forbid they put a hard border across the Island of Ireland I'm afraid we will return to the blood shed in Belfast , London and everywhere else the terrorists decide to target.
I'm an Irish man and like the rest of the people here we are looking at our neighbours across the sea with a mixture of horror , pity and schadenfreude .
I hope common sense will prevail .
1
The pound did not ‘Plunge’. It’s down .50 percent , but up from its lows. Rash comments like the cost you credibility. Beware.
3
@Ivan It's actually down by about 30% since the Brexit vote. It's currently at the lowest levels against the dollar in over 30 years.
14
@Ivan
To who, Our president is Trump, credibility of what?
Can the EU unilaterally extend the deadline? That would circumvent Johnson's move.
24
@MSL
No it can't. Article 50 is enacted by the country requesting it. Only that country can formally request an extension. The remaining EU members then can decide to grant the extension or not (and also how long that extension would be).
1
@MSL They already extended it twice.
This is a classic case of letting procedure get in the way of proper governance. If this is indeed one of the most important issues in recent British history, why are the true leaders of Parliament not finding a way of properly debating it and building consensus for action? Instead, they have let party politics lead them down a path in which they have increasingly fewer options, not more. Johnson likes to compare himself to Churchiill, a man who took over during a crisis. Churchill did not, however, suspect Parliamentary participation in his governing, but rather acted to get a diverse set of lawmakers involved in making decisions.
15
It seems unlikely that any risky strategies will be tried by any party, making a Brextension the most likely result. There is also a problem with getting a deal with the EU when all its commissioners are scheduled to be replaced at about the same time as the current extension expires. This process could lead to Brexhaustion in the long run.
6
Fight with EU, upset the Scots, and retun to Derry troubles. Remind me why that's good again?
185
@Marco Avellaneda
According the the Brexiters, the UK would get sovereignty back. It's all a bit vague though.
5
@Marco Avellaneda Because it will bring their economy to a screeching halt?
I got nothing.
2
@Marco Avellaneda
Look , actually in all this the most darkest Trouble is Northern Ireland.
Brexit is a literal undoing of peace agreement.
Forget political talk, what is the remedy for resurrected terrorism from the graveyard.
This time it might be much worse.
3
I would be willing to bet that once the consequences of this Brexit folly are felt, Messers Johnson and Farage will make a quick exit.
97
@Bil S.
Johnson will never let go of his own volition.
1
@Bil S. Maybe they have their Trump properties selected, as well as dachas in the Lenin Hills?
1
I am surprised and disappointed at the tone of the Times coverage on this. Yes, prorogation is a common process, but it is emphatically NOT intended to silence Parliamentary debate NOR is it supposed to be a pathway for the government to carry on business and ignore the will of its elected representatives. Parliament is sovereign.
Bozo Johnson's crass maneuver may or may not be strictly unconstitutional, but it is _profoundly_ autocratic. We must keep in mind that he himself is an unelected figure. He was selected by a Tory party membership that numbers only 120,000. He is not a President elected by popular will. That is to say he has absolutely NO popular mandate to seize control and sideline Parliament.
In comparison, the petition against prorogation has garnered nearly 800,000 signatures in merely a few hours, and will likely reach well over a million. That is to say, at least ten time as many British citizens support the power of Parliament and its elected officials over this tin-pot tyrant.
Americans, and American Republicans in particular, may be willing to ignore violations of Constitutional precedent to slavishly follow the will of a would-be dictator.
We British are a bit more . . . old-fashioned. This will not stand.
412
Dr.OfNothing, Parliament has had three years to debate and legislate. Losing a few days of debate now is not going to matter much.
The law is that Great Britain leaves the European Union on October 31. Parliament has had plenty of time to change the law, and still has plenty of time left to do so. It seems that Parliament does not want to do that.
The time for debate has passed. Now it's time to negotiate a new deal or leave without one. Only the government can negotiate, not Parliament. Let Boris Johnson do his job.
4
@Dr.OfNothing
They have become habituated (one might even say conditioned) to Trump's not strictly (not yet anyway) unconstitutional but profoundly autocratic actions and behavior.
4
@Dr.OfNothing
Hope you are right. Less time to debate maybe could lead to some actual changes being made?
2
As a Brit friend of mine said about Johnson: " I give him six months."
55
@Birdygirl
I said the same thing about Trump.
And here we are.
3
@Birdygirl That will be enough time for him to achieve his aim of weakening Western Europe and breaking apart the UK.
4
@Birdygirl It will be too late by then October 31st is on the horizon.
1
Just imagine if Labor voters across the country could pick their own leader. Then at least they'd have someone who could actually be a viable alternative to Johnson, instead of Jeremy Corbin, who seems to alienate mainstream voters.
U.S. politics is flawed, but at least we have a number of alternatives to choose from next year.
3
@Jeff Ah, but the fly in this particular ointment is that Corbyn *was* elected by the Labour membership - and the membership remains firmly behind him. Despite the fact he is utterly unelectable. Much like Farage, he leads a cult of True Believers. The Members of Parliament for the Labour Party have twice tried to oust him and failed because he remains popular with, sigh, The Base.
17
@Taz If Corbyn's role model, Michael Foote, had been allowed to continue, then the extended Blair / Brown tenure would never have happened. It's past time for middle-of-the-road Labour members to lose Corbyn, even at the risk of upsetting "The Base"
1
@Concerned
Think you need to brush up on your British political history...
Michael Foot was a disaster. He was replaced by Neil Kinnock following the 1983 election. Kinnock was then in charge of Labour until the 1992 election, following which he was replaced by John Smith, who died in 1995. Blair then took over and won the election in 1997.
There's 14 years between Michael Foot and Tony Blair....
There are also no middle of the road Labour members left. The decent ones have all left because of anti-semitism or have been comprehensively out-manoeuvred by the far left. Their only hope is Corbyn leaving of his own accord now.
2
Didn’t Boris claim brexit would restore sovereignty to Parliament and bring freedom from those pesky European laws that have been holding the United Kingdom hostage all these years? And now he’s throwing decorum out the window and forcing the Parliament to play by his rules. Hmmm, I’m not sure about this, sounds a bit shady.
118
@Canewielder. We need a Democratic Coup. Oh, that’s true. We can’t even get a democratically held congress to act. Well, their vacation is almost over. Let’s see what they’ll do then. And we can watch the British debacle play out in their courts, if they can race against time.
2
This move underscores that, far from being the democratic will of the British people, Brexit is a far right coup.
356
@Sean Taylor
Have you been asleep for three years? The "democratic will of the people" is LEAVE. By an even stronger margin today than in the original vote.
5
@Sean Taylor not quite sure how a popular vote to withdraw can be seen as a far right coup. Are you saying the vote was rigged?
5
@Charles a reminder that the Leave campaign was found to be illegal by the Election Commission because of overspending, and the result would have been overturned if it was a legally binding result instead of an advisory one.
And for the record, the majority of the country didn't vote to leave, only 51% of those who voted. If you include all registered voters, then you got 29%. And they didn't vote to leave without a deal based on your own campaign videos.
And if you really believed in the will of the people, you would be in favor of a second referendum, something that the Brexiters really don't want to have now that people know what leaving really means.
53
He's just pushed England out of the EU is all. About time.
6
@Cynthia starks Not just England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will come out too...and let's just say the Irish and Scots are none too pleased...
21
@Taz
Wales voted to leave as well as England. But NI and Scotland also had significant portions who voted to Leave as well. They're not some monolithic block.
@Taz She said that because most Americans don't realise that Great Britain consists of more than just 'England'.
1