Lead News

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet with Irish leader Leo Varadkar in search of a compromise on the simmering Brexit crisis. The two are to meet in Dublin Monday morning for the first time since Johnson took power in July. Varadkar has said he does not expect a breakthrough in the impasse over how the Irish border will ...

A chief constable was “disappointed” his officers were used as a backdrop to a speech by Boris Johnson about Brexit. Thirty-five officers stood behind the prime minister during the speech which was scheduled to mark a recruitment campaign for an extra 20,000 officers. Mr Johnson was accused of politicising the police by having them present during Thursday’s speech in Wakefield. ...

UK opposition parties have agreed not to back Boris Johnson’s demand for a general election before the EU summit in mid-October. Labour, the Lib Dems, the SNP and Plaid Cymru say they will vote against the government or abstain in Monday’s vote on whether to hold a snap poll. The SNP’s Ian Blackford said they wanted to make sure the ...

Jo Johnson, the younger brother of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is resigning as an MP and minister, saying he is “torn between family loyalty and the national interest”. The business minister and Tory MP for Orpington, south-east London, cited an “unresolvable tension” in his role. Mr Johnson voted Remain in the 2016 EU membership referendum, while his brother co-led the ...

is an investment manager and philanthropist Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament is an unlawful abuse of power, lawyers representing businesswoman Gina Miller have said. Outlining her case against prorogation at the High Court in London, Lord Pannick QC said it breached the legal principle of Parliamentary sovereignty. He added that a five-week suspension was of “exceptional length”, saying in ...

The PM will accuse Jeremy Corbyn of “a cowardly insult to democracy” later for not backing a general election. Boris Johnson – who sources say regards this as the first day of an election campaign – will argue the Labour leader is denying people their say on the progress of Brexit. On Wednesday, MPs blocked Mr Johnson’s plan for an ...

The government has declared it has “turned the page on austerity” as it set out plans to raise spending across all departments. Chancellor Sajid Javid outlined £13.8bn of investment in areas including health, education and the police in what he said was the fastest increase in spending for 15 years. The plans cover one year and come amid intense political ...

Boris Johnson will seek a general election later if Labour and rebel Tories succeed in seeking to block a no-deal Brexit on 31 October. The PM has said he will not accept another Brexit delay but a bill forcing him to seek an extension if there is no deal is set to be approved by MPs. He needs two-thirds of ...

The UK government is expected to table a motion to hold a general election on 14 October if it is defeated by MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit on Tuesday. Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he did not want an election, but progress with the EU would be “impossible” if they won. Tory rebels are joining forces with Labour ...

Boris Johnson has insisted he does not want a general election, as he urged MPs not to vote for “another pointless delay” to Brexit. But the BBC understands the PM would seek to call a vote, expected to be on 14 October, if MPs block no deal. Tory ex-ministers are joining forces with Labour to stop the UK leaving the ...