PHOTO: AFP
LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to renegotiate the terms of the country’s divorce from the European Union but whether he succeeds or not, he has pledged that Brexit will happen “do or die” on October 31.
He plans to limit parliament’s opportunity to derail his plans by cutting the amount of time it sits between now and October 31, infuriating opponents who accused him of a constitutional outrage.
These are the key dates between now and Brexit day:
September 3 - Parliament is scheduled to resume for a short session which would typically last around two weeks before there is another break to allow the political parties to hold their annual conferences.
September 9 - Both houses of parliament will debate an act relating to the Northern Ireland executive before beginning preparations to end the parliamentary session ahead of the Queen’s Speech.
September 9-12 - The dates between which at some point parliament will rise if Queen Elizabeth accedes to Johnson’s request to end the session.
September 21 -25 - The opposition Labour Party holds its annual conference.
September 29 to October 2 - Johnson’s Conservative Party holds its annual conference.
October 14 - A new session of parliament will start with the Queen’s Speech outlining the government’s legislative agenda, under Johnson’s plan.
October 17-18 - European Council meeting at which any new Brexit deal would potentially be agreed. Under existing British law, a deal would need approval by parliament before it can be ratified.
October 21-22 - Parliament will vote on the Queen’s Speech and the outcome of the European Council meeting, Johnson has said.
October 31 - Britain is due to leave the European Union.
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