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Boris Johnson loses Parliamentary majority, faces Brexit showdown
Britain's Parliament returns from its summer recess and is facing a titanic showdown over Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plans to leave the European Union. Here's what we know:
● Johnson has lost his majority in Parliament, with the defection of Conservative Phillip Lee to the Liberal Democrats.
● The opposition, including members of Johnson's party, is seeking to pass legislation to delay Brexit.
● Johnson has said that if his foes succeed he will call early elections.
List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom by length of tenure
#54: George Canning, 119 days (1827)
#55: Boris Johnson, 40 days (Incumbent) (2019)
See also: Brexit: Tory MP defects ahead of crucial no-deal vote
How Brexit Blew Up Britain's Constitution
(Score: 2, Informative) by Arik on Wednesday September 04 2019, @08:31AM (5 children)
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Wednesday September 04 2019, @09:39AM (4 children)
Fascinating. The Act empowers minor parties and scrambles hundreds of years of tradition.
Boris may have misjudged how attached some of his party are to being Tories.
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by Arik on Wednesday September 04 2019, @09:45AM (3 children)
(What deep ancestral memories that word brings.)
Tories might have an option to put forward another PM. Unlikely, as I see it, Boris got it because everyone else was afraid of it. Maybe I'm wrong.
If they decline... someone has to form a viable government, which requires (correct me if I'm wrong) a majority in parliament PLUS the Queens invitation.
Which she'll probably give to anyone that looks like they have a viable government, but still, WHO could possibly do that at this point?
If there's no viable government it would seem there's really no choice but to call new elections until there is. That's the Parliamentary system right?
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by MostCynical on Wednesday September 04 2019, @12:07PM (2 children)
The EU wanted to make it hard for the UK to leave, as an eample to other members, but no one knew how hard they'd make it themselves.
Vote, vote, vote again.
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 05 2019, @03:16AM (1 child)
The Brits never even showed up for negotiations - 2 Brexit ministers quit after showboating and doing nothing for 2 years. The whole thing has been an internal (within the Tory party) game of one-up-manship. The same kind of pricks who were Generals in WW1 have been the UK Government since Cameron accidentally won a majority in 2016.
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Thursday September 05 2019, @04:13AM
Seems none of the involved parties is negotiating in good faith.
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex