Boris Johnson promises Brexit on 31 October 'under any circumstances', blames Opposition for forcing delay

London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that he would not ask the EU to delay Brexit beyond 31 October. “I’m confident that I can, but to leave on 31 October in all circumstances so that the country can move on,” the prime minister said in a video posted on his official twitter handle on late Thursday. Johnson further said, “I have been negotiating over the past five weeks to get us a new deal. The EU leaders were willing to negotiate a deal because they knew we are hoping to leave on 31 October, either deal or no deal.”

Corbyn and his friends in Parliament don’t trust you to make this decision - but I do. Let’s put it to the people: more delay with Corbyn’s #SurrenderBill, or Brexit delivered on October 31st 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/q8tIwDMkcH

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) September 5, 2019

On Wednesday, British MPs rejected a motion tabled by the prime minister to dissolve the Parliament and call a snap election on 15 October, handing the 55-year-old Conservative leader his third defeat in less than 24 hours. The motion failed to garner the required two-thirds majority (434) as 298 members voted in favour of it while 56 opposition MPs dissented at House of Commons, CNN reported. The latest blow to the ruling Conservative government came hours after parliamentarians passed a bill aimed at preventing a no-deal Brexit. The opposition MPs, including rebel Conservative lawmakers, backed the bill by 327 votes to 299. Johnson had tabled the motion calling for an early general election on 15 October, following which MPs debated on the proposal. The prime minister said he won’t ask Brussels for a delay and he won’t resign to trigger an October election. “Last night, Jeremy Corbyn (Opposition leader) and others voted to wreck the chance of a deal. Their new law tries to force the government to go to Brussels, beg for another delay until 2020 or for as long as Brussels demands,” Boris said in the video. The prime minister stated that his countrymen do not want another pointless delay “but this law is even worse.” “Brussels could demand that I hand over billions of your money in return for this pointless delay. I refuse to do this,” he added. Boris further slammed the lawmakers, who voted on the bill, saying opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has now “voted to destroy the negotiations, to delay again for no reason and to stop you deciding whether we delay or not.” “It seems to me, he doesn’t trust you to make this decision. I do trust you. It would be totally wrong for Parliament to force another pointless delay without your agreement. So if you want Brexit sorted out before 31 October, then please as your MP to vote on Monday so that you can have your say on who goes to Brussels to sort this out, me or Jeremy Corbyn,” the prime minister stressed. Meanwhile, he went on adding that if the Parliament tries to force another pointless delay and “I” refuse to do that, then voters should decide what happens next. “People can choose Jeremy Corbyn to be Prime Minister go to Brussels on 17 October to delay Brexit again and do what Brussels wants. Or people can choose me to go to Brussels on 17 October, try to negotiate a new deal,” he said. Since taking office in July, Johnson has time and again outlined his aim to make the UK leave the EU by 31 October with or without a deal.