Boris Johnson beats Jeremy Hunt; to become next UK PM
In a resounding victory, Britain's governing Conservative Party announced Boris Johnson as the new elected leader of the party on Tuesday. As the new leader of Conservatives, Johnson will become the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, replacing current PM Theresa May. He will officially step into May's shoes on Wednesday. Read on to find out more details.
Johnson, a former London mayor, defeated Hunt in the race to be the Conservative party leader. According to reports, he bagged a total of 92,153 votes, while his rival, Hunt, only earned 46,656. Johnson gained support from Conservatives by promising to lead the UK out of the European Union, something that May failed to do, which led to her resignation.
Promising to deliver Brexit in his victory speech, Johnson said, "We are once again going to believe in ourselves, and like some slumbering giant we are going to rise and ping off the guy ropes of self-doubt and negativity." Johnson, who was May's foreign secretary, also thanked her, adding that it was "a privilege to serve in her cabinet."
Meanwhile, swiftly responding to the news, United Kingdom Prime Minister, who submitted her resignation last month, "Many congratulations to @BorisJohnson on being elected leader of @Conservatives." May added, "We now need to work together to deliver a Brexit that works for the whole UK and to keep Jeremy Corbyn out of government. You will have my full support from the back benches."
Notably, Johnson assured he would see Brexit through on the scheduled date of October 31, with or without a divorce deal. For Brexit, Johnson has demanded the EU to reopen the 'Withdrawal Agreement'- a 585-page deal originally sealed by May in November 2018. He also plans to trash the 'backstop' for the Northern Irish border, the clause that caused May's deal to fail thrice.
Additionally, Johnson wants to sort out issues after leaving the EU rather than finding a solution for it now. From the moment he takes office, he promised, he will ramp up planning for "No Deal", including public awareness.
Interestingly, within moments of his appointment as leader of the Conservatives, the European Union rejected his Brexit plans. Speaking to reporters in Brussels, the European Commission's first vice president, Frans Timmermans, said that the EU would not renegotiate. Another EU commissioner, Vytenis Andriukaitis, said that people like Johnson undermine the democracy with "cheap promises, simplified visions, blatantly evident incorrect statements."
