LONDON — Only one person, the joke doing the rounds in Parliament goes, can stop the disheveled, blond-haired, crowd-pleasing former foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, from becoming the country’s next prime minister.
That is Johnson himself.
One of Britain’s most recognizable, and now most divisive politicians, Johnson has a history of verbal gaffes, a poor record as a minister and many enemies in Parliament, not to mention among the voters who reject Brexit, which he helped persuade Britons to embrace in a 2016 referendum.
But his charisma, flair for publicity and record of winning two elections as mayor of London make him the runaway favorite in a crowded field to succeed Prime Minister Theresa May, according to bookmakers.
A victory for Johnson would have significant repercussions and could increase the prospects of Britain hurtling out of the European Union without an agreement at the end of October, despite the potentially dire economic consequences.
It also sets up a possible constitutional showdown with Parliament, which has shown that the one thing it can agree on is that there should never be a no-deal Brexit. If Britain’s new prime minister — whoever it is — was willing to exit the bloc without a deal, it is unclear if Parliament would have the power to stop the move, according to constitutional scholars.
“A new leader will have the opportunity to do things differently and have the momentum of a new administration,” Johnson said on Friday, according to Reuters, illustrating why Britain could be headed into turbulent waters. “We will leave the EU on October 31, deal or no deal. The way to get a good deal is to prepare for a no deal.”
Not only is Johnson a firm proponent of Brexit — albeit one who is instinctively more flexible than May — but several EU leaders have hinted they regard the idea of dealing with him as a nightmare come true. They likely will be loath to make him any concessions.
2019 New York Times News Service
source: news.abs-cbn.com
