New faces and a fresh approach. Newly installed British Prime Minister Boris Johnson conducted a brutal government reshuffle this week, purging the cabinet of rivals and rewarding loyalists and pro Brexit politicians. In his first speech to Parliament, Johnson pledged above all to leave the EU on October 31st. To do, otherwise would cause a catastrophic loss of confidence in our political system. He said that withdrawal agreement had to be renegotiated including the removal of the so-called Irish backstop, which would keep Britain closely bound to the EU if an eventual trade deal fails to remove the need for a hard border. Johnson promised a golden age awaited Britain after Brexit. We will throw ourselves into these negotiations with the greatest energy and determination, adding a spirit of friendship and I hope that the EU will be equally ready and that they will rethink their current refusal to make any changes to the withdrawal event. If they do not if they do not, we will of course have to leave the UK without an agreement under Article 50.

That threat brought condemnation from the opposition and from Europe. And No Deal is a British threat. The only people who can cause No Deal is United Kingdom government. The position of the European Union and the position of Ireland has not changed. The backstop is an integral part of the parol agreement. Parliament rejected the withdrawal agreement negotiated by Johnson’s predecessor Teresa May 3 times. MPs have also threatened to block any attempt to leave the EU with No Deal fearing economic devastation. Boris Johnson has not ruled out suspending Parliament to force an exit with potentially huge constitutional implications. The positions in parliament will be even more entrenched now and so in a way he faces a more difficult task with Parliament than Mrs May did. All he can hope for is that this message of optimism is going to be echoed back by the country. The country is going to respond to that and that will make it very much more difficult for parliamentarians to continue in their resistance. Johnson’s only way through the political quagmire could be to go back to the people. I think really as much as anything, his rhetoric is gearing up for a general election campaign in which he is going to invite the British public to choose between optimism and defeatism. You can almost see his attack lines being written for him all ready for that forthcoming election. The EU might agree another extension to Brexit to allow for an election, but polls show no one party gaining a majority and the public deeply split. Despite the new government, Britain is facing the same problems with no clear end to its ongoing political Crisis.
Henry Ridgwell for VOA news London.

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