UK’s New Prime Minister Boris Johnson Promises UK Will Leave EU By October 31

Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Newly-elected UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the people of Britain in his first official speech that his country will – “do or die” – definitely leave the European Union by October 31.

Via Reuters:

Johnson, who has been hailed by U.S. President Donald Trump as Britain’s Trump, is sending the strongest message yet to the EU that he will be taking a distinctly tougher approach to negotiating the Brexit divorce deal.

He enters Downing Street at one of the most perilous junctures in post-World War Two British history – the United Kingdom is divided over Brexit and weakened by the three-year political crisis that has gripped it since the 2016 referendum.

“We are going to fulfill the repeated promises of parliament to the people and come out of the EU on October 31, no ifs or buts,” Johnson, 55, said after arriving at his new residence, No.10 Downing Street.

“We can do a deal without checks at the Irish border,” Johnson said, watched by his girlfriend Carrie Symonds and his staff. “It is of course vital at the same time that we prepare for the remote possibility that Brussels refuses any further to negotiate and we are forced to come out with no deal.”

One of Britain’s most prominent Brexit campaigners, Johnson has repeatedly pledged to leave the EU by Oct. 31 – “do or die” – and to inject a new optimism and energy into the divorce, which he argues will bring a host of opportunities.

News Round-Up: January 21, 2019

Diego Lozano of Spain

Some news items you might have missed:

• In case you ever wonder why folks like to visit Madrid, Spain… Meet InstaHunk Diego Lozano 🙂

• Lady Gaga called out Vice President Mike Pence during her Las Vegas concert this weekend: “Mike Pence, who thinks it’s acceptable that his wife works at a school that bans LGBTQ — you’re wrong … You say we should not discriminate against Christianity. You are the worst representation of what it means to be a Christian.”

• There was some serious lip-lock action on the premiere of The CW’s new reboot of Roswell last week.

The series follows three young aliens who live in secret in a small New Mexico town. It turns out one, Michael (played by Michael Vlamis) is bisexual, and got down smooching his former bf, Alex (Tyler Blackburn) at the end of the episode.

• The new book, Team of Vipers, by former Trump aide Cliff Sims looks to be quite the read. It’s been described as, “Not a sycophantic portrayal of the president nor a blistering account written to settle scores.”

Bloomberg: The U.K. Labour Party is calling for a vote in Parliament that could pave the way to a second referendum, raising the possibility that Brexit could be reversed.

Variety: The CW has released the first look at transgender actress Nicole Maines, playing a superhero named “Dreamer” on the January 27 episode of DC Comic’s Supergirl.

Maines plays the first ever transgender superhero on television in an episode that explores the source of Dreamer’s powers. Maines will appear again in a later episode airing Feb. 17.

#Brexit: Over A Million Sign Petition Calling For Second EU Referendum

Call it ‘buyers remorse’ – In the aftermath of the United Kingdom voting to exit the European Union on Thursday, over a million people have signed a petition to call for a second referendum on the issue.

The petition would institute new rules stipulating that to approve leaving the EU, polls would require a majority of 60% and at least 75% turnout to be considered valid.

Here’s the actual language of the petition: “We the undersigned call upon HM Government to implement a rule that if the Remain or Leave vote is less than 60 per cent based a turnout less than 75 per cent there should be another referendum.”

So many people electronically signed the petition that it crashed the UK government’s website.

With over a million signatures the issue is required to at least be debated in Parliament.

More here.

(source)