Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, said that he&nbsp;and the European Union`s Chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier were doing all that they could to get a Brexit deal and if they failed it would be Britain`s responsibility.

In an interview with a German newspaper, Juncker said he and Barnier were working intensively for a deal because it would be a catastrophe for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/outrage-at-johnsons-rhetoric-in-brexit-impasse-252210">Britain and Europe</a> if Britain left the EU without an organised withdrawal process.

"Our chief negotiator Michel Barnier and I are doing everything possible to get an agreement," he told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. "But if we don`t succeed in the end, the responsibility would lie exclusively on the British side", he said.

Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on October&nbsp;31. Officials in Brussels say <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-flies-back-to-face-uk-parliament-as-brexit-chaos-deepens-251977">Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a> has made little progress in negotiating a new exit deal to replace the one agreed by his predecessor Theresa May, but which was rejected three times by the British parliament.

Juncker added that negotiations on a future trade relationship between Britain and the EU would be greatly complicated by a disorderly Brexit.

"We will want to and need to seal a free trade agreement," he said. "But that won`t happen just like that, as some in Britain imagine. Some of the trade deals we sealed in my term of office took many years to reach", he added.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, said that he and the European Union`s Chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier were doing all that they could to get a Brexit deal and if they failed it would be Britain`s responsibility.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, said that he and the European Union`s Chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier were doing all that they could to get a Brexit deal and if they failed it would be Britain`s responsibility. In an interview with a German newspaper, Juncker said he and Barnier were working intensively for a deal because it would be a catastrophe for Britain and Europe if Britain left the EU without an organised withdrawal process. "Our chief negotiator Michel Barnier and I are doing everything possible to get an agreement," he told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. "But if we don`t succeed in the end, the responsibility would lie exclusively on the British side", he said. Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on October 31. Officials in Brussels say Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made little progress in negotiating a new exit deal to replace the one agreed by his predecessor Theresa May, but which was rejected three times by the British parliament. Juncker added that negotiations on a future trade relationship between Britain and the EU would be greatly complicated by a disorderly Brexit. "We will want to and need to seal a free trade agreement," he said. "But that won`t happen just like that, as some in Britain imagine. Some of the trade deals we sealed in my term of office took many years to reach", he added.

European Commission's Juncker says Britain will be responsible if no Brexit deal

Britain's Princess Beatrice, 31, the elder daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, is now engaged. The announcement was made by her sister Princess Eugenie on her Instagram handle as she shared photos of Beatrice and her fiance property developer, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.&nbsp; 
 
“Beabea - wow! I'm so happy for you my dearest big sissy and dear Edo. It's been a long time coming and you two are meant to be. 📷 by me!! “We are extremely happy to be able to share the news of our recent engagement. We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together and can’t wait to actually be married. We share so many similar interests and values and we know that this will stand us in great stead for the years ahead, full of love and happiness,” the elated sister wrote as she shared photos of the happy couple.&nbsp; 
 
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B23t01NFjke/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Beabea - wow! I'm so happy for you my dearest big sissy and dear Edo. It's been a long time coming and you two are meant to be. 📷 by me!! “We are extremely happy to be able to share the news of our recent engagement. We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together and can’t wait to actually be married. We share so many similar interests and values and we know that this will stand us in great stead for the years ahead, full of love and happiness”</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/princesseugenie/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Princess Eugenie</a> (@princesseugenie) on <time datetime="2019-09-26T10:10:11+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 26, 2019 at 3:10am PDT</time>
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The couple got engaged in Italy during a weekend break earlier this month, said a statement issued by Buckingham Palace. “The wedding will take place in 2020," the statement further read.&nbsp;

The couple began dating in 2018, according to the BBC. 
 
“We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together,” the princess and her fiance said in a statement.

Britain's Princess Beatrice, 31, the elder daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, is now engaged. The announcement was made by her sister Princess Eugenie on her Instagram handle as she shared photos of Beatrice and her fiance property developer, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

Britain's Princess Beatrice, 31, the elder daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, is now engaged. The announcement was made by her sister Princess Eugenie on her Instagram handle as she shared photos of Beatrice and her fiance property developer, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. “Beabea - wow! I'm so happy for you my dearest big sissy and dear Edo. It's been a long time coming and you two are meant to be. 📷 by me!! “We are extremely happy to be able to share the news of our recent engagement. We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together and can’t wait to actually be married. We share so many similar interests and values and we know that this will stand us in great stead for the years ahead, full of love and happiness,” the elated sister wrote as she shared photos of the happy couple. View this post on Instagram Beabea - wow! I'm so happy for you my dearest big sissy and dear Edo. It's been a long time coming and you two are meant to be. 📷 by me!! “We are extremely happy to be able to share the news of our recent engagement. We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together and can’t wait to actually be married. We share so many similar interests and values and we know that this will stand us in great stead for the years ahead, full of love and happiness” A post shared by Princess Eugenie (@princesseugenie) on Sep 26, 2019 at 3:10am PDT × The couple got engaged in Italy during a weekend break earlier this month, said a statement issued by Buckingham Palace. “The wedding will take place in 2020," the statement further read. The couple began dating in 2018, according to the BBC. “We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together,” the princess and her fiance said in a statement.

Britain's Princess Beatrice announces engagement

British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-supreme-court-ruling-could-throw-boris-johnsons-brexit-plan-into-more-disarray-251621">Boris&nbsp;Johnson</a>&nbsp;called for the immediate&nbsp;release&nbsp;of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other&nbsp;dual&nbsp;nationals&nbsp;imprisoned&nbsp;in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rouhani-says-iran-resists-sanctions-drives-us-desperate-251461">Iran</a> during a meeting with&nbsp;Iran's&nbsp;President Hassan&nbsp;Rouhani&nbsp;in New York on Tuesday, a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement.

Johnson&nbsp;also "raised our deep concern about&nbsp;Iran's&nbsp;destabilising activity in the region, including the attacks on the Aramco oil facilities, and insisted this must stop," the spokesperson said. He stressed support for the Iran nuclear deal and the need for dialogue, "including on a comprehensive successor deal."

In the meanwhile, French President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-relations-with-macron-outstanding-225049">Emmanuel Macron </a>leader has been pushing to defuse tensions between Washington and Tehran over the last few weeks, especially after an attack on Saudi oil facilities on Sept 14. that the United States, Europe, and Saudi Arabia have blamed on&nbsp;Iran.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for the immediate release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other dual nationals imprisoned in Iran during a meeting with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani in New York on Tuesday, a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for the immediate release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other dual nationals imprisoned in Iran during a meeting with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani in New York on Tuesday, a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement. Johnson also "raised our deep concern about Iran's destabilising activity in the region, including the attacks on the Aramco oil facilities, and insisted this must stop," the spokesperson said. He stressed support for the Iran nuclear deal and the need for dialogue, "including on a comprehensive successor deal." In the meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron leader has been pushing to defuse tensions between Washington and Tehran over the last few weeks, especially after an attack on Saudi oil facilities on Sept 14. that the United States, Europe, and Saudi Arabia have blamed on Iran.

Britain's Johnson urges Rouhani to release imprisoned dual nationals

Thomas Cook shuts down abruptly, leaves thousands of passengers stranded. Watch video to know more.

Thomas Cook shuts down abruptly, leaves thousands of passengers stranded

Britain said on Friday a Brexit deal with the European Union could be reached at a summit next month, but EU member Ireland said the sides were far from agreement and London had not yet made serious proposals.

Three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, hopes of a breakthrough over the terms of its departure have been stoked in recent days by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying the shape of a deal is emerging and European Commission President Juncker saying agreement is possible.

But diplomats say the two sides are split over London's desire to remove the Irish border "backstop" from the divorce deal struck by Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, and then work out a replacement in coming years.

The backstop is an insurance policy to keep the 500-km (300-mile) border between Ireland, which will remain in the EU, and the British province of Northern Ireland open after Brexit.

"We both want to see a deal," British Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said after talks in Brussels with EU negotiator Michel Barnier. "The meeting overran, which signals we were getting into the detail."

"There is a still a lot of work to do but there is a common purpose to secure a deal," Barclay said, adding that Juncker and Johnson also both wanted a deal.

Leaving the EU would be Britain's biggest shift in trade and foreign policy for more than 40 years and deprive the 28-nation bloc of one of its biggest economies. The EU has set a deadline for a deal to be reached by October&nbsp;31.

British parliament has rejected the deal May agreed with the EU. Johnson has said he wants to secure an amended deal at an EU summit on Oct. 17-18 but that Britain will leave the bloc if that is not possible. He will meet European Council Donald Tusk at the United Nations in New York next week.

Ireland is crucial to any Brexit solution. Unless the Irish border backstop is removed or amended, Johnson will not be able to win parliamentary approval but Ireland and the EU are unwilling to sign a deal without a solution to the border.

The EU fears a hard border could cause unrest in Northern Ireland and undermine the fragile peace provided by a 1998 peace deal that ended three decades of violence between Irish nationalists seeking a united Ireland, and the British security forces and pro-British "unionists".

The Withdrawal Agreement that was agreed with the EU last November says the United Kingdom will remain in a customs union "unless and until" alternative arrangements are found to avoid the return of border controls in Ireland.

Pound falls

The British government, worried the backstop will trap it in the EU's orbit for years to come, wants to remove it and find a solution before December 2020, when a planned transition period ends.

The British pound fell from a two-month high after the Financial Times reported Johnson had told colleagues he did not expect to reach a full "legally operable" deal next month.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the mood music had improved and that both sides wanted a deal but that they were not close to an agreement.

"There is certainly a lot of commentary now and some of it is spin I think, in the context of where we are," he told the BBC. "We need to be honest with people and say that we’re not close to that deal right now."

"Everybody needs a dose of reality here, there is still quite a wide gap between what the British government have been talking about in terms of the solutions that they are proposing, and I think what Ireland and the EU will be able to support."

Britain said on Thursday it had shared documents with Brussels setting out ideas for a Brexit deal, but an EU diplomat described them as a "smokescreen" that would not prevent a disorderly exit on the Oct. 31 departure date.

Coveney, Ireland's second most powerful politician, said a no-deal could lead to civil unrest.

"Trade across 300 road crossings that has created a normality and a peace that is settled on the island of Ireland for the last 20 years, that now faces significant disruption," he said. "That is what we're fighting for here.

Britain said on Friday a Brexit deal with the European Union could be reached at a summit next month, but EU member Ireland said the sides were far from agreement and London had not yet made serious proposals.

Britain said on Friday a Brexit deal with the European Union could be reached at a summit next month, but EU member Ireland said the sides were far from agreement and London had not yet made serious proposals. Three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, hopes of a breakthrough over the terms of its departure have been stoked in recent days by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying the shape of a deal is emerging and European Commission President Juncker saying agreement is possible. But diplomats say the two sides are split over London's desire to remove the Irish border "backstop" from the divorce deal struck by Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, and then work out a replacement in coming years. The backstop is an insurance policy to keep the 500-km (300-mile) border between Ireland, which will remain in the EU, and the British province of Northern Ireland open after Brexit. "We both want to see a deal," British Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said after talks in Brussels with EU negotiator Michel Barnier. "The meeting overran, which signals we were getting into the detail." "There is a still a lot of work to do but there is a common purpose to secure a deal," Barclay said, adding that Juncker and Johnson also both wanted a deal. Leaving the EU would be Britain's biggest shift in trade and foreign policy for more than 40 years and deprive the 28-nation bloc of one of its biggest economies. The EU has set a deadline for a deal to be reached by October 31. British parliament has rejected the deal May agreed with the EU. Johnson has said he wants to secure an amended deal at an EU summit on Oct. 17-18 but that Britain will leave the bloc if that is not possible. He will meet European Council Donald Tusk at the United Nations in New York next week. Ireland is crucial to any Brexit solution. Unless the Irish border backstop is removed or amended, Johnson will not be able to win parliamentary approval but Ireland and the EU are unwilling to sign a deal without a solution to the border. The EU fears a hard border could cause unrest in Northern Ireland and undermine the fragile peace provided by a 1998 peace deal that ended three decades of violence between Irish nationalists seeking a united Ireland, and the British security forces and pro-British "unionists". The Withdrawal Agreement that was agreed with the EU last November says the United Kingdom will remain in a customs union "unless and until" alternative arrangements are found to avoid the return of border controls in Ireland. Pound falls The British government, worried the backstop will trap it in the EU's orbit for years to come, wants to remove it and find a solution before December 2020, when a planned transition period ends. The British pound fell from a two-month high after the Financial Times reported Johnson had told colleagues he did not expect to reach a full "legally operable" deal next month. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the mood music had improved and that both sides wanted a deal but that they were not close to an agreement. "There is certainly a lot of commentary now and some of it is spin I think, in the context of where we are," he told the BBC. "We need to be honest with people and say that we’re not close to that deal right now." "Everybody needs a dose of reality here, there is still quite a wide gap between what the British government have been talking about in terms of the solutions that they are proposing, and I think what Ireland and the EU will be able to support." Britain said on Thursday it had shared documents with Brussels setting out ideas for a Brexit deal, but an EU diplomat described them as a "smokescreen" that would not prevent a disorderly exit on the Oct. 31 departure date. Coveney, Ireland's second most powerful politician, said a no-deal could lead to civil unrest. "Trade across 300 road crossings that has created a normality and a peace that is settled on the island of Ireland for the last 20 years, that now faces significant disruption," he said. "That is what we're fighting for here.

Britain and EU spar over Brexit as clock ticks down

Britain's Trade Minister Liz Truss&nbsp;said on Wednesday she expects to complete a wide-ranging trade deal with Australia within months of exiting the European Union.

In efforts to reduce the economic impact of Brexit, Britain is looking to line-up a series of trade deals with smaller, non-EU countries.

Truss, who is in the middle of a three-nation tour that includes Australia, New Zealand and Japan, said she expects a quick conclusion to trade talks that will begin when Britain leaves the EU.

"The reason that I have chosen to make Australia one of the first countries I have visited as trade secretary is because it is an absolute priority to get on with this trade deal," Truss told reporters in Canberra.

"I would say months rather than years for it to be completed."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/underfire-pm-calls-up-hulk-claims-huge-brexit-progress-249824">British Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a> has said he will take the country out of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cautiously-optimistic-on-brexit-deal-says-pm-boris-johnson-ahead-of-eu-meeting-249472">EU</a> on October 31 with or without a deal with Brussels.

But the British parliament this month passed a law that requires Johnson to ask the EU for a three-month delay to Brexit if a deal is not approved by October 19.

Two-way trade between Australia and Britain is worth A$26.6 billion ($18.22 billion), Australian data shows.

Britain is Australia's seventh-largest trading partner, the data shows.

Australia's Minister for Trade Simon Birmingham said a trade deal with Britain will particularly benefit the country's agricultural sector, worth around A$60 billion.

"As part of the EU, market access to Britain in terms of agricultural products has been limited," Birmingham told reporters. "This is something we will look to address."

Britain's Trade Minister Liz Truss said on Wednesday she expects to complete a wide-ranging trade deal with Australia within months of exiting the European Union.

Britain's Trade Minister Liz Truss said on Wednesday she expects to complete a wide-ranging trade deal with Australia within months of exiting the European Union. In efforts to reduce the economic impact of Brexit, Britain is looking to line-up a series of trade deals with smaller, non-EU countries. Truss, who is in the middle of a three-nation tour that includes Australia, New Zealand and Japan, said she expects a quick conclusion to trade talks that will begin when Britain leaves the EU. "The reason that I have chosen to make Australia one of the first countries I have visited as trade secretary is because it is an absolute priority to get on with this trade deal," Truss told reporters in Canberra. "I would say months rather than years for it to be completed." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will take the country out of the EU on October 31 with or without a deal with Brussels. But the British parliament this month passed a law that requires Johnson to ask the EU for a three-month delay to Brexit if a deal is not approved by October 19. Two-way trade between Australia and Britain is worth A$26.6 billion ($18.22 billion), Australian data shows. Britain is Australia's seventh-largest trading partner, the data shows. Australia's Minister for Trade Simon Birmingham said a trade deal with Britain will particularly benefit the country's agricultural sector, worth around A$60 billion. "As part of the EU, market access to Britain in terms of agricultural products has been limited," Birmingham told reporters. "This is something we will look to address."

Britain hopes for trade deal with Australia within months of Brexit

Almost 50 years after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/northern-ireland-when-british-troops-moved-in-50-years-ago-with-operation-banner-242680">British troops opened fire on protesters on Bloody Sunday</a>, killing 14 people, the only murder case brought against one of the soldiers reached a Northern Irish court for the first time on Wednesday.

The unnamed veteran, accused of murdering two civilians in Londonderry on January 30, 1972, did not attend the hearing in the city and the case was swiftly adjourned.

But relatives of the Bloody Sunday victims, who gathered together to walk to the courthouse, hailed the very fact it was taking place.

Liam Wray, whose brother was killed, said it was a "historic day".

"We are glad and relieved that his day has arrived, it's been 47 and a half years," he said.

Thirteen people died that day when British troops opened fire on a civil rights demonstration in a majority Catholic area of Londonderry, while a 14th victim later died of his wounds.

In addition to two murder charges, the ex-paratrooper, identified only as "Soldier F", faces charges of the attempted murder of four others.

His case was adjourned until December 4, with the lawyer for the veteran stating his intention to challenge the bid to bring the case to trial.

Bloody Sunday has become one of the most symbolic events in the grim history of the Troubles, the conflict which gripped Northern Ireland for three decades.

But the decision to prosecute the veteran is highly divisive in the British province, which remains haunted by the legacy of unrest.

'Truth and justice'

"Soldier F" was one of 17 British veterans who had faced investigation, plus two alleged paramilitaries with the Irish Republican Army (IRA), which fought British rule.

But he was the only one charged by Northern Ireland's public prosecutor in March following decades of investigation.

The announcement infuriated supporters of Britain's military intervention in Northern Ireland, prompting marches in support of the soldier in Belfast and London.

British military and political communities remain divided over the matter.

Some believe prosecutions for historic crimes betray former troops who acted in good faith, equating them with terrorists.

Others feel the military should be held to the highest standard and any amnesty would be a tacit admission of guilt among those who served with integrity.

Families of those killed broadly welcome the prospect of a trial but do not believe it alone will fully settle the matter.

"It's still an ongoing campaign," John Kelly, whose 17-year-old brother Michael was killed on Bloody Sunday, told AFP last month.

"What people want is truth and justice."

'Unjustified and unjustifiable'

The decision by the British Parachute Regiment to open fire on a civil rights march in the Bogside area helped galvanise support for the Provisional IRA in the early years of the Troubles.

A photograph of a Catholic priest waving a bloodstained handkerchief as he tried to help 17-year-old victim Jackie Duddy to safety became a defining image of the incident.

A 12-year public inquiry into Bloody Sunday the largest investigation in UK legal history concluded in 2010 that British paratroopers lost control and none of the casualties posed a threat of causing death or serious injury.

The probe prompted then-prime minister David Cameron to issue a formal state apology for the killings, calling them "unjustified and unjustifiable".

The Northern Ireland Veterans Association, which held a memorial event to mark the 50th anniversary of British military intervention earlier this year, said its members were "concerned" about such prosecutions.

"We need to learn to deal with our past," said NIVA spokesman Ian Simpson.

"We need to move forward together and have an understanding of what it meant."

Almost 50 years after British troops opened fire on protesters on Bloody Sunday, killing 14 people, the only murder case brought against one of the soldiers reached a Northern Irish court for the first time on Wednesday.

Almost 50 years after British troops opened fire on protesters on Bloody Sunday, killing 14 people, the only murder case brought against one of the soldiers reached a Northern Irish court for the first time on Wednesday. The unnamed veteran, accused of murdering two civilians in Londonderry on January 30, 1972, did not attend the hearing in the city and the case was swiftly adjourned. But relatives of the Bloody Sunday victims, who gathered together to walk to the courthouse, hailed the very fact it was taking place. Liam Wray, whose brother was killed, said it was a "historic day". "We are glad and relieved that his day has arrived, it's been 47 and a half years," he said. Thirteen people died that day when British troops opened fire on a civil rights demonstration in a majority Catholic area of Londonderry, while a 14th victim later died of his wounds. In addition to two murder charges, the ex-paratrooper, identified only as "Soldier F", faces charges of the attempted murder of four others. His case was adjourned until December 4, with the lawyer for the veteran stating his intention to challenge the bid to bring the case to trial. Bloody Sunday has become one of the most symbolic events in the grim history of the Troubles, the conflict which gripped Northern Ireland for three decades. But the decision to prosecute the veteran is highly divisive in the British province, which remains haunted by the legacy of unrest. 'Truth and justice' "Soldier F" was one of 17 British veterans who had faced investigation, plus two alleged paramilitaries with the Irish Republican Army (IRA), which fought British rule. But he was the only one charged by Northern Ireland's public prosecutor in March following decades of investigation. The announcement infuriated supporters of Britain's military intervention in Northern Ireland, prompting marches in support of the soldier in Belfast and London. British military and political communities remain divided over the matter. Some believe prosecutions for historic crimes betray former troops who acted in good faith, equating them with terrorists. Others feel the military should be held to the highest standard and any amnesty would be a tacit admission of guilt among those who served with integrity. Families of those killed broadly welcome the prospect of a trial but do not believe it alone will fully settle the matter. "It's still an ongoing campaign," John Kelly, whose 17-year-old brother Michael was killed on Bloody Sunday, told AFP last month. "What people want is truth and justice." 'Unjustified and unjustifiable' The decision by the British Parachute Regiment to open fire on a civil rights march in the Bogside area helped galvanise support for the Provisional IRA in the early years of the Troubles. A photograph of a Catholic priest waving a bloodstained handkerchief as he tried to help 17-year-old victim Jackie Duddy to safety became a defining image of the incident. A 12-year public inquiry into Bloody Sunday the largest investigation in UK legal history concluded in 2010 that British paratroopers lost control and none of the casualties posed a threat of causing death or serious injury. The probe prompted then-prime minister David Cameron to issue a formal state apology for the killings, calling them "unjustified and unjustifiable". The Northern Ireland Veterans Association, which held a memorial event to mark the 50th anniversary of British military intervention earlier this year, said its members were "concerned" about such prosecutions. "We need to learn to deal with our past," said NIVA spokesman Ian Simpson. "We need to move forward together and have an understanding of what it meant."

Bloody Sunday ex-soldier murder case reaches court

Six weeks after he took office and six weeks before he is due to lead Britain out of the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet Jean-Claude Junker.

On Monday, after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/underfire-pm-calls-up-hulk-claims-huge-brexit-progress-249824">comparing himself to berserk comic book super-smasher Hulk</a>, the British leader will enjoy a genteel working lunch with the EU Commission president.

Downing Street has confidently billed the Luxembourg visit as part of efforts to negotiate an orderly divorce from the union before an October 17 EU summit.

But Brussels has played down talk of a breakthrough, insisting Johnson has yet to suggest any "legally operable" proposal to revise a previous withdrawal accord.

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier, who will join the leaders for their talks in Juncker's native Grand Duchy, has said he has "no reason to be optimistic".

And the European Parliament will this week vote on a resolution rejecting Johnson's demand that the so-called "Irish backstop" clause be stripped from the deal.

Johnson insists this measure, which temporarily keeps the UK in the EU customs union, has to go if he is to bring the agreement back to the House of Commons.

But the accord will also have to win the support of the other 27 EU leaders and the European Parliament if Britain is not to crash out with no deal on October 31.

And Johnson, in turn, boasts that he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than ask his European counterparts to postpone Brexit for a third time into next year.

It is difficult, then, to see what might come from Monday's lunch, which will be held behind closed doors with no plan for a joint statement afterwards.

Nevertheless, before leaving London, Johnson told the Mail on Sunday he was "very confident" of getting a new deal before the October 17 summit.

'Hulk smash!'

"A huge amount of progress is being made," he said, referring to "technical talks" on border procedures between his Brexit adviser David Frost and Barnier's team.&nbsp;

Johnson compared himself to Marvel comics hero Hulk, the rampaging mutant alter-ego of a mild-mannered nuclear scientist whose catchphrase is "Hulk smash!"&nbsp;

"The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets and he always escaped, no matter how tightly bound in he seemed to be," Johnson told the paper.

Johnson's strategy faces opposition at home, where rebel and opposition MPs have passed a law aimed at forcing him to seek a Brexit delay.

Britain's Supreme Court will rule this week on a bid to overturn Johnson's decision to suspend parliament and limit time to debate the crisis.

And on Wednesday, Barnier will address the European Parliament session in Strasbourg as MEPs vote to reaffirm and reinforce the EU Brexit stance.

Barnier previously briefed the leaders of political groups in the assembly on Thursday last week, and he had a downbeat message.

"I can't objectively tell you whether the contacts we have undertaken with Mr. Johnson's government will lead to an agreement between now and mid-October," he said.

After that meeting, the speaker of the parliament David Sassoli unveiled the Brexit resolution, which would insist that the backstop remain in the deal.

"The resolution says that if there is a no-deal departure, then that is entirely the responsibility of the United Kingdom," he said.

After his lunch with Juncker, Johnson is due to meet Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. The pair will hold a joint news conference. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Six weeks after he took office and six weeks before he is due to lead Britain out of the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet Jean-Claude Junker.

Six weeks after he took office and six weeks before he is due to lead Britain out of the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet Jean-Claude Junker. On Monday, after comparing himself to berserk comic book super-smasher Hulk, the British leader will enjoy a genteel working lunch with the EU Commission president. Downing Street has confidently billed the Luxembourg visit as part of efforts to negotiate an orderly divorce from the union before an October 17 EU summit. But Brussels has played down talk of a breakthrough, insisting Johnson has yet to suggest any "legally operable" proposal to revise a previous withdrawal accord. Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier, who will join the leaders for their talks in Juncker's native Grand Duchy, has said he has "no reason to be optimistic". And the European Parliament will this week vote on a resolution rejecting Johnson's demand that the so-called "Irish backstop" clause be stripped from the deal. Johnson insists this measure, which temporarily keeps the UK in the EU customs union, has to go if he is to bring the agreement back to the House of Commons. But the accord will also have to win the support of the other 27 EU leaders and the European Parliament if Britain is not to crash out with no deal on October 31. And Johnson, in turn, boasts that he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than ask his European counterparts to postpone Brexit for a third time into next year. It is difficult, then, to see what might come from Monday's lunch, which will be held behind closed doors with no plan for a joint statement afterwards. Nevertheless, before leaving London, Johnson told the Mail on Sunday he was "very confident" of getting a new deal before the October 17 summit. 'Hulk smash!' "A huge amount of progress is being made," he said, referring to "technical talks" on border procedures between his Brexit adviser David Frost and Barnier's team. Johnson compared himself to Marvel comics hero Hulk, the rampaging mutant alter-ego of a mild-mannered nuclear scientist whose catchphrase is "Hulk smash!" "The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets and he always escaped, no matter how tightly bound in he seemed to be," Johnson told the paper. Johnson's strategy faces opposition at home, where rebel and opposition MPs have passed a law aimed at forcing him to seek a Brexit delay. Britain's Supreme Court will rule this week on a bid to overturn Johnson's decision to suspend parliament and limit time to debate the crisis. And on Wednesday, Barnier will address the European Parliament session in Strasbourg as MEPs vote to reaffirm and reinforce the EU Brexit stance. Barnier previously briefed the leaders of political groups in the assembly on Thursday last week, and he had a downbeat message. "I can't objectively tell you whether the contacts we have undertaken with Mr. Johnson's government will lead to an agreement between now and mid-October," he said. After that meeting, the speaker of the parliament David Sassoli unveiled the Brexit resolution, which would insist that the backstop remain in the deal. "The resolution says that if there is a no-deal departure, then that is entirely the responsibility of the United Kingdom," he said. After his lunch with Juncker, Johnson is due to meet Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. The pair will hold a joint news conference.

Boris Johnson the Brexit 'Hulk' to meet EU's Jean-Claude Junker

Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cautiously-optimistic-on-brexit-deal-says-pm-boris-johnson-ahead-of-eu-meeting-249472">Boris Johnson</a> insisted Sunday that "huge" progress was being made in Brexit talks and declared Britain would break out of the European Union just like the comic-book hero Hulk.

The Conservative leader made the comments ahead of meetings with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and EU negotiator Michel Barnier in Luxembourg on Monday.

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Johnson said he was "very confident" of getting a divorce deal at an EU summit on October 17, in time for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-denies-lying-to-queen-in-brexit-crisis-249286">Brexit on October 31</a>.

In an odd analogy, he compared Britain to the comic book character Hulk.

"The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets and he always escaped, no matter how tightly bound in he seemed to be and that is the case for this country," he said.

But <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-johnson-tells-parliament-you-can-tie-my-hands-but-i-will-not-delay-brexit-248705">Johnson</a> is facing opposition in parliament to his threat to leave the EU without a deal next month if his negotiations fail.

On Saturday night, one of his Conservative MPs defected to the pro-European Liberal Democrats.

Former universities minister Sam Gyimah, who has called for a re-run of the 2016 Brexit referendum, condemned Johnson for "veering towards populism".

Meanwhile, former prime minister David Cameron, who led the failed campaign to stay in the EU in 2016, accused Johnson in his memoirs of only pursuing Brexit out of political ambition.

The turmoil comes ahead of another crucial week, as the Supreme Court considers the legality of Johnson's decision to suspend parliament earlier this month until October 14.

'Landing zone'

Johnson was a leading "Leave" campaigner in the referendum and took office in July promising to deliver Brexit no matter what.

He wants to renegotiate the terms struck by his predecessor Theresa May, which MPs have rejected, but EU leaders have so far refused.

He told the Mail there was a "very good conversation" going on about the key sticking point, the issue of the Irish border.

"A huge amount of progress is being made," he said.

Much of the opposition in London to the current Brexit deal is focused on the so-called backstop plan to keep open the Irish border.

It could keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU trade rules to avoid frontier checks between British Northern and EU member Ireland.

Brexit minister Steve Barclay insisted "the backstop needs to go", but fuelled speculation that an alternative might be taking shape.

"We can see a landing zone in terms of a future deal but there is significant work still to do," he told Sky News television on Sunday.

"The talks tomorrow will be an important step forward as part of that and they build on significant discussions that have been happening at a technical level."

'Stark choice'

Johnson repeated that "under no circumstances" would he delay Brexit.

However, he may have no choice after MPs last week passed a law to postpone until January if he does not get a divorce deal by the EU summit.

Twenty-one Conservatives rebelled to back the law and were expelled from the party, leaving Johnson without a majority in the House of Commons.

One of the rebels was Gyimah, who becomes the Lib Dems' 18th MP in the 650-seat chamber.

The 43-year-old was once viewed as a rising star in the Conservatives and briefly ran against Johnson for the party leadership.

But he said Johnson had left moderates like him with a "stark choice&nbsp;to accept a no-deal Brexit or walk away from public life".

He told The Observer newspaper: "It is beyond Brexit how you conduct politics and the veering towards populism and English nationalism."

Cameron critique&nbsp;

Johnson also suffered fresh criticism from his predecessor, Cameron, whose memoir "For The Record", was serialised in the Sunday Times ahead of its publication on Thursday.

Cameron said Johnson only backed Brexit because he believed it would make him the "darling" of the Tory party, thus positioning him for power.

He said he "risked an outcome he didn't believe in because it would help his political career".

Cameron also accused Johnson and fellow Brexit campaigner Michael Gove, now a top minister, of "becoming ambassadors for the expert-trashing, truth-twisting age of populism".

He condemned claims they made about the savings Britain would make by ending its EU membership, and of the likelihood of Turkey joining the bloc.

"Leave was lying," he wrote.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted Sunday that "huge" progress was being made in Brexit talks and declared Britain would break out of the European Union just like the comic-book hero Hulk.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted Sunday that "huge" progress was being made in Brexit talks and declared Britain would break out of the European Union just like the comic-book hero Hulk. The Conservative leader made the comments ahead of meetings with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and EU negotiator Michel Barnier in Luxembourg on Monday. In an interview with the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Johnson said he was "very confident" of getting a divorce deal at an EU summit on October 17, in time for Brexit on October 31. In an odd analogy, he compared Britain to the comic book character Hulk. "The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets and he always escaped, no matter how tightly bound in he seemed to be and that is the case for this country," he said. But Johnson is facing opposition in parliament to his threat to leave the EU without a deal next month if his negotiations fail. On Saturday night, one of his Conservative MPs defected to the pro-European Liberal Democrats. Former universities minister Sam Gyimah, who has called for a re-run of the 2016 Brexit referendum, condemned Johnson for "veering towards populism". Meanwhile, former prime minister David Cameron, who led the failed campaign to stay in the EU in 2016, accused Johnson in his memoirs of only pursuing Brexit out of political ambition. The turmoil comes ahead of another crucial week, as the Supreme Court considers the legality of Johnson's decision to suspend parliament earlier this month until October 14. 'Landing zone' Johnson was a leading "Leave" campaigner in the referendum and took office in July promising to deliver Brexit no matter what. He wants to renegotiate the terms struck by his predecessor Theresa May, which MPs have rejected, but EU leaders have so far refused. He told the Mail there was a "very good conversation" going on about the key sticking point, the issue of the Irish border. "A huge amount of progress is being made," he said. Much of the opposition in London to the current Brexit deal is focused on the so-called backstop plan to keep open the Irish border. It could keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU trade rules to avoid frontier checks between British Northern and EU member Ireland. Brexit minister Steve Barclay insisted "the backstop needs to go", but fuelled speculation that an alternative might be taking shape. "We can see a landing zone in terms of a future deal but there is significant work still to do," he told Sky News television on Sunday. "The talks tomorrow will be an important step forward as part of that and they build on significant discussions that have been happening at a technical level." 'Stark choice' Johnson repeated that "under no circumstances" would he delay Brexit. However, he may have no choice after MPs last week passed a law to postpone until January if he does not get a divorce deal by the EU summit. Twenty-one Conservatives rebelled to back the law and were expelled from the party, leaving Johnson without a majority in the House of Commons. One of the rebels was Gyimah, who becomes the Lib Dems' 18th MP in the 650-seat chamber. The 43-year-old was once viewed as a rising star in the Conservatives and briefly ran against Johnson for the party leadership. But he said Johnson had left moderates like him with a "stark choice to accept a no-deal Brexit or walk away from public life". He told The Observer newspaper: "It is beyond Brexit how you conduct politics and the veering towards populism and English nationalism." Cameron critique Johnson also suffered fresh criticism from his predecessor, Cameron, whose memoir "For The Record", was serialised in the Sunday Times ahead of its publication on Thursday. Cameron said Johnson only backed Brexit because he believed it would make him the "darling" of the Tory party, thus positioning him for power. He said he "risked an outcome he didn't believe in because it would help his political career". Cameron also accused Johnson and fellow Brexit campaigner Michael Gove, now a top minister, of "becoming ambassadors for the expert-trashing, truth-twisting age of populism". He condemned claims they made about the savings Britain would make by ending its EU membership, and of the likelihood of Turkey joining the bloc. "Leave was lying," he wrote.

UK's Johnson, likening himself to Incredible Hulk, vows October 31 Brexit

Britain's Liberal Democrats party leader Jo Swinson said on Sunday there was no Brexit deal that her party would vote for in parliament, saying her priority was to stop <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cautiously-optimistic-on-brexit-deal-says-pm-boris-johnson-ahead-of-eu-meeting-249472">Britain</a> leaving the European Union.

"I am very clear I don't think there is a good Brexit deal. I think every Brexit, whether you have a blue rosette or a red rosette on it, is bad for our country, and I'm not going to support Brexit," she told the BBC when asked if her party would reject any deal put before parliament.

Britain's Liberal Democrats party leader Jo Swinson said on Sunday there was no Brexit deal that her party would vote for in parliament, saying her priority was to stop Britain leaving the European Union.

Britain's Liberal Democrats party leader Jo Swinson said on Sunday there was no Brexit deal that her party would vote for in parliament, saying her priority was to stop Britain leaving the European Union. "I am very clear I don't think there is a good Brexit deal. I think every Brexit, whether you have a blue rosette or a red rosette on it, is bad for our country, and I'm not going to support Brexit," she told the BBC when asked if her party would reject any deal put before parliament.

UK Liberal Democrat leader says her party will not support any Brexit deal

Britain has never apologised for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre at Amritsar but the head of the Church of England prostrated himself to say sorry in a personal capacity and "in the name of Christ". British troops fired on thousands of unarmed men, women and children in Amritsar on April 13, 1919, killing 379 people according to colonial-era records. Indian figures put the total closer to 1,000. "I can't speak for the British Government as I am not an official of the British Government. But I can speak in the name of Christ," Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said as he visited the location in northern India on Tuesday.

Jallianwala Bagh massacre: Archbishop's sorry puts UK govt to shame

Hong Kong activists called off protests on Wednesday in remembrance of September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and denounced a Chinese state newspaper report that they were planning "massive terror" in the Chinese-ruled city.

Hong Kong has been rocked by months of sometimes violent unrest, prompted by anger over planned legislation that would have allowed extraditions to China but broadening into calls for democracy and for Communist Party rulers in Beijing to leave the city alone.

"Anti-government fanatics are planning massive terror attacks, including blowing up gas pipes, in Hong Kong on September 11," the Hong Kong edition of the China Daily said on its Facebook page on Tuesday alongside a picture of the attacks on the twin towers in New York.

"The 9/11 terror plot also encourages indiscriminate attacks on non-native speakers of Cantonese and starting mountain fires," it said.

The Facebook post said, "leaked information was part of the strategy being schemed by radical protesters in their online chat rooms".

The former British colony of Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland, including an independent legal system, triggering the anger over the extradition bill.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said she will withdraw the bill but many Hong Kong residents fear Beijing is steadily eroding the city's autonomy. 
China denies meddling and has accused the United States, Britain and others of fomenting the unrest.

"We don’t even need to do a fact check to know that this is fake news," protester Michael, 24, said of the China Daily post.

"The state media doesn’t care about its credibility. Whenever something they claimed to have heard on WhatsApp or friends’ friends, they will spread it right away," he said.

The protesters called off action on Wednesday.

"In solidarity against terrorism, all forms of protest in Hong Kong will be suspended on September&nbsp;11, apart from potential singing and chanting," they said in a statement.

Protester Karen, 23, said the China Daily report was worrying.

“When they try to frame the whole protest with those words, it alarms me. They are predicting rather than reporting," she said. "I think people calling it off today is a nice move.

The protests spread to the sports field on Tuesday, as many football fans defied Chinese law to boo the national anthem ahead of a soccer World Cup qualifier against Iran.

Several peaceful protests are planned for the coming days, combining with festivities marking the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Hong Kong activists called off protests on Wednesday in remembrance of September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and denounced a Chinese state newspaper report that they were planning "massive terror" in the Chinese-ruled city.

Hong Kong activists called off protests on Wednesday in remembrance of September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and denounced a Chinese state newspaper report that they were planning "massive terror" in the Chinese-ruled city. Hong Kong has been rocked by months of sometimes violent unrest, prompted by anger over planned legislation that would have allowed extraditions to China but broadening into calls for democracy and for Communist Party rulers in Beijing to leave the city alone. "Anti-government fanatics are planning massive terror attacks, including blowing up gas pipes, in Hong Kong on September 11," the Hong Kong edition of the China Daily said on its Facebook page on Tuesday alongside a picture of the attacks on the twin towers in New York. "The 9/11 terror plot also encourages indiscriminate attacks on non-native speakers of Cantonese and starting mountain fires," it said. The Facebook post said, "leaked information was part of the strategy being schemed by radical protesters in their online chat rooms". The former British colony of Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland, including an independent legal system, triggering the anger over the extradition bill. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said she will withdraw the bill but many Hong Kong residents fear Beijing is steadily eroding the city's autonomy. China denies meddling and has accused the United States, Britain and others of fomenting the unrest. "We don’t even need to do a fact check to know that this is fake news," protester Michael, 24, said of the China Daily post. "The state media doesn’t care about its credibility. Whenever something they claimed to have heard on WhatsApp or friends’ friends, they will spread it right away," he said. The protesters called off action on Wednesday. "In solidarity against terrorism, all forms of protest in Hong Kong will be suspended on September 11, apart from potential singing and chanting," they said in a statement. Protester Karen, 23, said the China Daily report was worrying. “When they try to frame the whole protest with those words, it alarms me. They are predicting rather than reporting," she said. "I think people calling it off today is a nice move. The protests spread to the sports field on Tuesday, as many football fans defied Chinese law to boo the national anthem ahead of a soccer World Cup qualifier against Iran. Several peaceful protests are planned for the coming days, combining with festivities marking the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Hong Kong protesters hit pause to mark September 11 attacks

Britain will make a decision soon about whether to allow <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-denies-us-allegations-of-technology-theft-247310">Huawei equipment </a>to be used in its 5G networks but China must play by the rules if it gets access to Western markets, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said.

Asked when a decision would be made by the United Kingdom on Huawei, Wallace said on Wednesday: "The government will come to its position soon. We will get to a decision pretty soon.

He added: "We will not allow anything to compromise our sensitive networks in the UK but our technical advice is that there are places we can go to mitigate any security risk.

"This is more than just technical, this is also about behaviour," he told reporters.

"It wasn't that long ago that the United Kingdom and other nations called out China publicly for some of its cyber activity. And if we are going to allow countries access to our markets, I think we should all expect a code of behaviour which is fair play."

Britain will make a decision soon about whether to allow Huawei equipment to be used in its 5G networks but China must play by the rules if it gets access to Western markets, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said.

Britain will make a decision soon about whether to allow Huawei equipment to be used in its 5G networks but China must play by the rules if it gets access to Western markets, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said. Asked when a decision would be made by the United Kingdom on Huawei, Wallace said on Wednesday: "The government will come to its position soon. We will get to a decision pretty soon. He added: "We will not allow anything to compromise our sensitive networks in the UK but our technical advice is that there are places we can go to mitigate any security risk. "This is more than just technical, this is also about behaviour," he told reporters. "It wasn't that long ago that the United Kingdom and other nations called out China publicly for some of its cyber activity. And if we are going to allow countries access to our markets, I think we should all expect a code of behaviour which is fair play."

Will decide on Huawei soon but China must play by rules: UK

Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby on Tuesday visited Jallianwala Bagh memorial and said that he was both 'ashamed and sorry' for the crime which was committed at that site in 1919. Welby also lied on the floor of the memorial after reading out a prayer to God to seek forgiveness. While paying homage at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial, Welby said, "I cannot speak for the British Government. I am not the official of the government but can speak in the name of Christ. It is a place for sin and redemption. You have remembered what they have done and their memory will live."

Archbishop: Jallianwala Bagh massacre a huge shame

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow, champion of Britain's parliament in its move to rein in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-boris-johnson-will-go-to-eu-to-seek-a-deal-not-a-brexit-delay-finance-minister-248420">Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a> over Brexit, said on Monday he would stand down, issuing a warning to the government not to "degrade" parliament.

Bercow, known for his thundering cries of "Order! Order!" and his scathing put-downs of misbehaving lawmakers, has been the target of fury from Johnson's government, which accused him of breaking rules to let lawmakers force a delay to Britain's exit from the EU.

With less than two months until Britain's most important political decision in decades, Bercow, whose position is formally meant to be neutral, helped give lawmakers the chance to strip control of the outcome away from the government.

Last week, lawmakers defeated Johnson to pass a law ordering Johnson to seek a delay from the October&nbsp;31 Brexit deadline.

In the speech announcing his plan to resign, Bercow fixed his gaze on the benches where ministers sit and delivered a direct warning to the government: "We degrade this parliament at our peril."

Bercow, 56, was given a standing ovation from many members of the lower house as he announced his plan to stand down in the coming weeks - particularly by those on the opposition benches.

"When the history books come to be written, you will be described as one of the great reforming speakers of the House of Commons," said opposition Labour Party lawmaker Hilary Benn, who led the passage of the law to try and stop a no-deal Brexit.

"In every decision, you have made, you have put one consideration above everything else: Your wish to enable the House of Commons to discuss matters and to have a view."

A day earlier, Johnson's business minister, Andrea Leadsom, had called Bercow's decision to give lawmakers a chance to pass legislation against the wishes of the government a "flagrant abuse" of the parliamentary process.

"It acts in complete disregard to the will of the people, not just on Brexit, but on whom they have chosen to govern them," she wrote in the Mail on Sunday. "The Speaker hasn’t just bent the rules, he has broken them."

In Monday's speech, Bercow said he would not contest the next election if parliament voted later on Monday in favour of calling one.

If, as expected, lawmakers reject the government's attempt to call an election, he said he would quit on October 31,&nbsp;the Brexit deadline that lawmakers voted last week to postpone.

Bercow has been speaker since 2009, a role traditionally responsible for ensuring decorum during the debate, but which took on unusual power this year when Johnson and his predecessor Theresa May failed to get their Brexit policies past parliament.

In a country with no written constitution and a parliament ruled by convention, it fell to him to interpret rules that normally give the government control over parliament's agenda.

Bercow's cries of "Order! Order!" has travelled around the world in viral video clips, as have his quips.

"Don't tell me, young man, what I can and can't say," he bellowed at one heckler on Monday. "If you're not interested, leave the chamber. I'm not remotely interested in your pettifogging objection, chuntered inelegantly from a sedentary position."

During his ten-year term, he has survived an outcry over expense claims,&nbsp;&nbsp;including costly use of official cars and overseas trips, and has faced allegations of bullying from former members of staff, which he has denied.

Pro-Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, one of the architects of the decision to leave the European Union, summed up the eurosceptic sentiment in a two-word tweet: "Good Riddance."

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow, champion of Britain's parliament in its move to rein in Prime Minister Boris Johnson over Brexit, said on Monday he would stand down, issuing a warning to the government not to "degrade" parliament.

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow, champion of Britain's parliament in its move to rein in Prime Minister Boris Johnson over Brexit, said on Monday he would stand down, issuing a warning to the government not to "degrade" parliament. Bercow, known for his thundering cries of "Order! Order!" and his scathing put-downs of misbehaving lawmakers, has been the target of fury from Johnson's government, which accused him of breaking rules to let lawmakers force a delay to Britain's exit from the EU. With less than two months until Britain's most important political decision in decades, Bercow, whose position is formally meant to be neutral, helped give lawmakers the chance to strip control of the outcome away from the government. Last week, lawmakers defeated Johnson to pass a law ordering Johnson to seek a delay from the October 31 Brexit deadline. In the speech announcing his plan to resign, Bercow fixed his gaze on the benches where ministers sit and delivered a direct warning to the government: "We degrade this parliament at our peril." Bercow, 56, was given a standing ovation from many members of the lower house as he announced his plan to stand down in the coming weeks - particularly by those on the opposition benches. "When the history books come to be written, you will be described as one of the great reforming speakers of the House of Commons," said opposition Labour Party lawmaker Hilary Benn, who led the passage of the law to try and stop a no-deal Brexit. "In every decision, you have made, you have put one consideration above everything else: Your wish to enable the House of Commons to discuss matters and to have a view." A day earlier, Johnson's business minister, Andrea Leadsom, had called Bercow's decision to give lawmakers a chance to pass legislation against the wishes of the government a "flagrant abuse" of the parliamentary process. "It acts in complete disregard to the will of the people, not just on Brexit, but on whom they have chosen to govern them," she wrote in the Mail on Sunday. "The Speaker hasn’t just bent the rules, he has broken them." In Monday's speech, Bercow said he would not contest the next election if parliament voted later on Monday in favour of calling one. If, as expected, lawmakers reject the government's attempt to call an election, he said he would quit on October 31, the Brexit deadline that lawmakers voted last week to postpone. Bercow has been speaker since 2009, a role traditionally responsible for ensuring decorum during the debate, but which took on unusual power this year when Johnson and his predecessor Theresa May failed to get their Brexit policies past parliament. In a country with no written constitution and a parliament ruled by convention, it fell to him to interpret rules that normally give the government control over parliament's agenda. Bercow's cries of "Order! Order!" has travelled around the world in viral video clips, as have his quips. "Don't tell me, young man, what I can and can't say," he bellowed at one heckler on Monday. "If you're not interested, leave the chamber. I'm not remotely interested in your pettifogging objection, chuntered inelegantly from a sedentary position." During his ten-year term, he has survived an outcry over expense claims, including costly use of official cars and overseas trips, and has faced allegations of bullying from former members of staff, which he has denied. Pro-Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, one of the architects of the decision to leave the European Union, summed up the eurosceptic sentiment in a two-word tweet: "Good Riddance."

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow to step down

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will try to save his job and his hardline <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britains-johnson-vows-to-fight-on-despite-brexit-blows-248502">Brexit strategy</a>&nbsp;Monday when he confronts parliament and his Irish counterpart in another showdown week.

The charismatic but divisive British leader finds himself facing a political impasse, just six weeks after taking over from his beleaguered predecessor Theresa May.

The new prime minister has vowed to take Britain out of the European Union after 46 years with or without a divorce deal by October 31, but has been blocked by parliament.

Johnson's bid to break the deadlock through a snap general election on October 15 is also facing an almost certain second successive defeat by lawmakers Monday.

It comes after a week in which he took a battering from resignations and sackings that included his own brother and Winston Churchill's grandson, leaving him without a working majority in parliament.

Two of his most senior ministers both rejected speculation Sunday that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/id-rather-be-dead-in-a-ditch-than-delay-brexit-british-pm-boris-johnson-247871">Johnson</a> had no real option but to resign.

But neither could say clearly how he intended to keep all his Brexit promises without somehow bending UK law.

"Of course he is not going to break the law," Foreign Minister Dominic Raab told Sky News.

"We have a plan, which is to stick to what we have been doing," Interior Minister Sajid Javid told the BBC.

'It's no!'

The chaos is being compounded by Johnson's decision to suspend parliament for over a month from some point between Monday and Thursday.

The legal but controversial step was meant to remove domestic obstacles while he uses his "no-deal" <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-lawmakers-willing-to-go-to-court-to-enforce-brexit-delay-bbc-248240">Brexit</a> threat to wrest better divorce terms from Brussels at a leadership summit on October 17-18.

But it ended up jolting parliament into racing through legislation forcing Johnson to ask for what would be a third Brexit <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-lawmakers-vote-to-block-no-deal-brexit-in-fresh-blow-to-pm-johnson-247639">extension</a> if no new deal emerges by October 19.

Raab said Johnson would "test to the limit" the law in court.

European leaders are also skeptical that another delay designed to avoid economic disruption was still worth all the political pain.

"In the current circumstances, it's 'no!'," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told a Sunday political talk show in Paris.

"We are not going through this every three months."

All 28 current EU leaders would have to approve what would be the third Brexit extension this year.

Low expectations

The one EU nation that stands to lose the most from a messy breakup is Ireland.

Brussels rules require a post-Brexit border to go up along what is now an all-but-invisible frontier with Britain's Nothern Ireland if no alternative arrangement is found.

The issue was meant to be resolved by a "backstop" -- a complicated fudge that kept the North partially in and out of the EU while the sides sought a long-term fix.

But the backstop's inclusion ended up costing Theresa May her premiership after it was rejected by parliament three times.

Johnson pronounced it "dead" during his successful leadership campaign.

He travels to Dublin on Monday for his first official meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in search of a short-term compromise.

It is feared that a hard border could hit the Irish economy and jeopardize the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that brought the three-decade Northern Ireland conflict to an end.

Yet Brussels has rejected the alternative proposals aired by Johnson as either unworkable or unacceptable under EU rules.

Varadkar said he was keeping his expectations low heading into the talks.

"I don't think the meeting tomorrow is a high stakes meeting in the sense that I don't anticipate a big breakthrough tomorrow," the Irish prime minister said Sunday.

"If we come to an agreement, that agreement will happen most likely in October at the EU summit."

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will try to save his job and his hardline Brexit strategy Monday when he confronts parliament and his Irish counterpart in another showdown week.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will try to save his job and his hardline Brexit strategy Monday when he confronts parliament and his Irish counterpart in another showdown week. The charismatic but divisive British leader finds himself facing a political impasse, just six weeks after taking over from his beleaguered predecessor Theresa May. The new prime minister has vowed to take Britain out of the European Union after 46 years with or without a divorce deal by October 31, but has been blocked by parliament. Johnson's bid to break the deadlock through a snap general election on October 15 is also facing an almost certain second successive defeat by lawmakers Monday. It comes after a week in which he took a battering from resignations and sackings that included his own brother and Winston Churchill's grandson, leaving him without a working majority in parliament. Two of his most senior ministers both rejected speculation Sunday that Johnson had no real option but to resign. But neither could say clearly how he intended to keep all his Brexit promises without somehow bending UK law. "Of course he is not going to break the law," Foreign Minister Dominic Raab told Sky News. "We have a plan, which is to stick to what we have been doing," Interior Minister Sajid Javid told the BBC. 'It's no!' The chaos is being compounded by Johnson's decision to suspend parliament for over a month from some point between Monday and Thursday. The legal but controversial step was meant to remove domestic obstacles while he uses his "no-deal" Brexit threat to wrest better divorce terms from Brussels at a leadership summit on October 17-18. But it ended up jolting parliament into racing through legislation forcing Johnson to ask for what would be a third Brexit extension if no new deal emerges by October 19. Raab said Johnson would "test to the limit" the law in court. European leaders are also skeptical that another delay designed to avoid economic disruption was still worth all the political pain. "In the current circumstances, it's 'no!'," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told a Sunday political talk show in Paris. "We are not going through this every three months." All 28 current EU leaders would have to approve what would be the third Brexit extension this year. Low expectations The one EU nation that stands to lose the most from a messy breakup is Ireland. Brussels rules require a post-Brexit border to go up along what is now an all-but-invisible frontier with Britain's Nothern Ireland if no alternative arrangement is found. The issue was meant to be resolved by a "backstop" -- a complicated fudge that kept the North partially in and out of the EU while the sides sought a long-term fix. But the backstop's inclusion ended up costing Theresa May her premiership after it was rejected by parliament three times. Johnson pronounced it "dead" during his successful leadership campaign. He travels to Dublin on Monday for his first official meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in search of a short-term compromise. It is feared that a hard border could hit the Irish economy and jeopardize the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that brought the three-decade Northern Ireland conflict to an end. Yet Brussels has rejected the alternative proposals aired by Johnson as either unworkable or unacceptable under EU rules. Varadkar said he was keeping his expectations low heading into the talks. "I don't think the meeting tomorrow is a high stakes meeting in the sense that I don't anticipate a big breakthrough tomorrow," the Irish prime minister said Sunday. "If we come to an agreement, that agreement will happen most likely in October at the EU summit."

Britain's Boris Johnson tries to save his job and hardline Brexit

The British government insisted Sunday that Boris Johnson would fight on as prime minister despite seeing a top cabinet ally quit and his do-or-die Brexit strategy blocked by parliament.

Johnson rose to power six weeks ago by injecting his trademark optimism into a ruling Conservative party that was cracking under the pressure of Britain's worst crisis in generations.

He now finds himself outflanked by pro-EU opponents and the country barrelling toward a chaotic October 31 breakup with its closest neighbours after 46 years.

Fears of Britain and the 27 EU nations splitting without a plan for what comes next were compounded when France threw up its hands at the possibility of another Brexit extension.

"In the current circumstances, it's no!" French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told a Sunday political talk show in Paris.

"We are not going through this every three months," he said.

All 28 current EU leaders must approve what would be the third Brexit delay this year.

'One-page' Brexit plan&nbsp;

Johnson's awful run at home got worse with the resignation on Saturday of Conservative heavyweight Amber Rudd from her work and pensions post.

Rudd was a moderate member of former prime minister Theresa May's government whose endorsement Johnson coveted during his successful UK leadership challenge.

But Rudd said on Sunday that she could no longer be part of the team that oversees what both businesses and the markets fear would be a very messy "no-deal" divorce.

"When I asked Number 10 for a summary of what the plan was for actually getting a deal, I was sent a one-page summary," she told BBC television.

"I believe (Johnson) is trying to get a deal with the EU. I am just saying what I have seen in government is that there is this huge machine preparing for no-deal."

Johnson is adamant that he needs the no-deal threat to wrest a better agreement from Brussels at a leadership summit on October 17-18.

He is instead seeking to hold an early general election on October 15 that could give him a mandate to take Britain out on time and at any cost.

But parliament has mandated Johnson to seek an extension should his approach fail by October 19.

Lawmakers are also expected on Monday to block his call for a snap vote for a second time.

This appears to leave Johnson with few other options but to resign -- something two top ministers said on Sunday he would not do.

"The prime minister will not be resigning," interior minister Sajid Javid told the BBC.

"He will be keeping this government's promise to leave on the 31st."

Yet Javid gave few specifics about what Johnson will do should parliament tell him to ask for an extension after turning down his election challenge.

"We have a plan, which is to stick to what we have been doing," Javid said.

Winning with voters

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab suggested that one option would be for the government to challenge parliament's potential delay request in court.

"It will be challenged in the courts," Raab told Sky News.

"What we are going to do with that legislation is test very carefully what it does and doesn’t require and that's not only the lawful thing to do, I think that's the responsible thing to do," Raab said.

And Johnson himself said in a letter to two Sunday newspapers that his government would "simply carry on" if his election call is turned down.

"We will surmount all the obstacles in our path," Johnson said.

"Whatever happens we will get ready to come out on October 31 and we will serve this country and its people with the energy and commitment they deserve."

That message still appears to be resonating with British voters.

Three separate polls published on Sunday showed Johnson's Conservatives either holding or extending their lead over the main opposition Labour Party to around 10 percentage points.

The British government insisted Sunday that Boris Johnson would fight on as prime minister despite seeing a top cabinet ally quit and his do-or-die Brexit strategy blocked by parliament.

The British government insisted Sunday that Boris Johnson would fight on as prime minister despite seeing a top cabinet ally quit and his do-or-die Brexit strategy blocked by parliament. Johnson rose to power six weeks ago by injecting his trademark optimism into a ruling Conservative party that was cracking under the pressure of Britain's worst crisis in generations. He now finds himself outflanked by pro-EU opponents and the country barrelling toward a chaotic October 31 breakup with its closest neighbours after 46 years. Fears of Britain and the 27 EU nations splitting without a plan for what comes next were compounded when France threw up its hands at the possibility of another Brexit extension. "In the current circumstances, it's no!" French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told a Sunday political talk show in Paris. "We are not going through this every three months," he said. All 28 current EU leaders must approve what would be the third Brexit delay this year. 'One-page' Brexit plan Johnson's awful run at home got worse with the resignation on Saturday of Conservative heavyweight Amber Rudd from her work and pensions post. Rudd was a moderate member of former prime minister Theresa May's government whose endorsement Johnson coveted during his successful UK leadership challenge. But Rudd said on Sunday that she could no longer be part of the team that oversees what both businesses and the markets fear would be a very messy "no-deal" divorce. "When I asked Number 10 for a summary of what the plan was for actually getting a deal, I was sent a one-page summary," she told BBC television. "I believe (Johnson) is trying to get a deal with the EU. I am just saying what I have seen in government is that there is this huge machine preparing for no-deal." Johnson is adamant that he needs the no-deal threat to wrest a better agreement from Brussels at a leadership summit on October 17-18. He is instead seeking to hold an early general election on October 15 that could give him a mandate to take Britain out on time and at any cost. But parliament has mandated Johnson to seek an extension should his approach fail by October 19. Lawmakers are also expected on Monday to block his call for a snap vote for a second time. This appears to leave Johnson with few other options but to resign -- something two top ministers said on Sunday he would not do. "The prime minister will not be resigning," interior minister Sajid Javid told the BBC. "He will be keeping this government's promise to leave on the 31st." Yet Javid gave few specifics about what Johnson will do should parliament tell him to ask for an extension after turning down his election challenge. "We have a plan, which is to stick to what we have been doing," Javid said. Winning with voters Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab suggested that one option would be for the government to challenge parliament's potential delay request in court. "It will be challenged in the courts," Raab told Sky News. "What we are going to do with that legislation is test very carefully what it does and doesn’t require and that's not only the lawful thing to do, I think that's the responsible thing to do," Raab said. And Johnson himself said in a letter to two Sunday newspapers that his government would "simply carry on" if his election call is turned down. "We will surmount all the obstacles in our path," Johnson said. "Whatever happens we will get ready to come out on October 31 and we will serve this country and its people with the energy and commitment they deserve." That message still appears to be resonating with British voters. Three separate polls published on Sunday showed Johnson's Conservatives either holding or extending their lead over the main opposition Labour Party to around 10 percentage points.

Britain's Johnson vows to fight on despite Brexit blows

Prime Minister Boris Johnson heads to Scotland on Friday in campaign mode despite failing to call an early election after MPs this week thwarted his hardline Brexit strategy.

Johnson, who will make a fresh attempt next week to force the mid-October snap election, is set to visit a fish market and announce a post-Brexit funding boost for Scottish farmers during a visit to Aberdeenshire, his office said.

He will then stay at Queen Elizabeth II's Balmoral estate and dine with her, an annual weekend-long tradition for prime ministers but one that Johnson has been forced to cut short to a single night due to the political turmoil in Westminster.

Opposition lawmakers and rebels in his ruling Conservative party on Wednesday left Johnson's plans for a no-deal Brexit next month in tatters and then blocked a request for a snap election on October 15.

Under British law, the government requires two-thirds of MPs to support holding such a poll.

The main opposition Labour Party abstained on the proposal, saying parliament must first approve its legislation to prevent Britain leaving the European Union without an agreement on October 31.

The government has said it will make a second attempt to force it through next week.

"What I want to do now is to give the country a choice," Johnson said Thursday during a campaign-style visit to northern England, where he greeted voters and delivered a speech.

His trip to Scotland, where voters backed remaining in the EU in the 2016 referendum and the Tories face a struggle to hold 13 parliamentary seats there in any upcoming election, appears part of a strategy to pressure Labour to cave into his demand.&nbsp;

'Dead in a ditch'

The House of Lords on Friday is set to approve the legislation, which compels Johnson to seek a three-month extension from Brussels if he cannot agree on a divorce deal at an EU summit on October 17-18.

It is then expected to become law on Monday.

Johnson said Thursday he would "rather be dead in a ditch" than delay Brexit and is pushing for the election in the hope of winning a fresh mandate for his approach.

Lawmakers rushed the bill through parliament ahead of a five-week shutdown the prime minister controversially ordered last month which was widely seen as a pre-emptive attempt to prevent such legislation.

The decision to suspend parliament provoked uproar from Johnson's critics, who called it a "constitutional outrage", and several legal challenges.

Three High Court judges are expected to rule Friday on its legality after Gina Miller, a businesswoman and leading anti-Brexit campaigner, applied for a judicial review.

A judge in Scotland ruled in favour of Johnson on Wednesday in a separate challenge.

'The national interest'

Britain's bitter three-year political crisis over leaving the EU appears headed for new depths of acrimony as the divided country's delayed departure deadline approaches.

Brexit was originally scheduled for March 29 but was postponed amid political gridlock over the terms of the country's divorce from the bloc after almost half a century of deepening ties.

Johnson, who took power in July, argues that his threat to leave with or without a deal will force EU leaders to agree better terms.

Opponents say the prime minister is playing with fire amid predictions of the economic damage such a disorderly breakup could cause.

However, Johnson has been left in limbo with his parliamentary majority destroyed by a Conservative rebellion which saw&nbsp;21 people nearly all former ministers suspended from the party.&nbsp;

He was dealt a further personal blow Thursday when his brother Jo said he was quitting his junior ministerial role and would not contest his seat in parliament again.

"I've been torn between family loyalty and the national interest it's an unresolvable tension &amp; time for others to take on my roles," Jo Johnson tweeted.

Amid the unfolding political drama, the British pound rose during the day, hitting a one-month peak against the dollar, with currency traders seeing reduced prospects of a "no-deal" Brexit.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson heads to Scotland on Friday in campaign mode despite failing to call an early election after MPs this week thwarted his hardline Brexit strategy.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson heads to Scotland on Friday in campaign mode despite failing to call an early election after MPs this week thwarted his hardline Brexit strategy. Johnson, who will make a fresh attempt next week to force the mid-October snap election, is set to visit a fish market and announce a post-Brexit funding boost for Scottish farmers during a visit to Aberdeenshire, his office said. He will then stay at Queen Elizabeth II's Balmoral estate and dine with her, an annual weekend-long tradition for prime ministers but one that Johnson has been forced to cut short to a single night due to the political turmoil in Westminster. Opposition lawmakers and rebels in his ruling Conservative party on Wednesday left Johnson's plans for a no-deal Brexit next month in tatters and then blocked a request for a snap election on October 15. Under British law, the government requires two-thirds of MPs to support holding such a poll. The main opposition Labour Party abstained on the proposal, saying parliament must first approve its legislation to prevent Britain leaving the European Union without an agreement on October 31. The government has said it will make a second attempt to force it through next week. "What I want to do now is to give the country a choice," Johnson said Thursday during a campaign-style visit to northern England, where he greeted voters and delivered a speech. His trip to Scotland, where voters backed remaining in the EU in the 2016 referendum and the Tories face a struggle to hold 13 parliamentary seats there in any upcoming election, appears part of a strategy to pressure Labour to cave into his demand. 'Dead in a ditch' The House of Lords on Friday is set to approve the legislation, which compels Johnson to seek a three-month extension from Brussels if he cannot agree on a divorce deal at an EU summit on October 17-18. It is then expected to become law on Monday. Johnson said Thursday he would "rather be dead in a ditch" than delay Brexit and is pushing for the election in the hope of winning a fresh mandate for his approach. Lawmakers rushed the bill through parliament ahead of a five-week shutdown the prime minister controversially ordered last month which was widely seen as a pre-emptive attempt to prevent such legislation. The decision to suspend parliament provoked uproar from Johnson's critics, who called it a "constitutional outrage", and several legal challenges. Three High Court judges are expected to rule Friday on its legality after Gina Miller, a businesswoman and leading anti-Brexit campaigner, applied for a judicial review. A judge in Scotland ruled in favour of Johnson on Wednesday in a separate challenge. 'The national interest' Britain's bitter three-year political crisis over leaving the EU appears headed for new depths of acrimony as the divided country's delayed departure deadline approaches. Brexit was originally scheduled for March 29 but was postponed amid political gridlock over the terms of the country's divorce from the bloc after almost half a century of deepening ties. Johnson, who took power in July, argues that his threat to leave with or without a deal will force EU leaders to agree better terms. Opponents say the prime minister is playing with fire amid predictions of the economic damage such a disorderly breakup could cause. However, Johnson has been left in limbo with his parliamentary majority destroyed by a Conservative rebellion which saw 21 people nearly all former ministers suspended from the party. He was dealt a further personal blow Thursday when his brother Jo said he was quitting his junior ministerial role and would not contest his seat in parliament again. "I've been torn between family loyalty and the national interest it's an unresolvable tension & time for others to take on my roles," Jo Johnson tweeted. Amid the unfolding political drama, the British pound rose during the day, hitting a one-month peak against the dollar, with currency traders seeing reduced prospects of a "no-deal" Brexit.

Boris Johnson in election mode as he visits Scotland after Brexit setbacks

Britain should delay <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-a-hypothesis-im-willing-to-contemplate-johnson-on-resignation-over-brexit-248022">Brexit beyond October 31</a> rather than leave the European Union without a deal, which would be particularly harmful to large carmakers, the head of the sector's industry body told Reuters on Friday.

As Britain spins towards an election, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-opposition-parties-discuss-pm-johnsons-brexit-election-gamble-247990">Brexit remains up in the air </a>more than three years after Britons voted to leave the world's biggest trading bloc in a 2016 referendum leading to the country's biggest political crisis in decades.

The autos sector, the country's biggest exporter of goods, has been one of the most vocal opponents of a no-deal Brexit, warning that production would be hit with tariffs, border delays and new bureaucracy, ruining the viability of many plants.

"Leaving without a deal would be the worst outcome," the Chief Executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers of Traders (SMMT) Mike Hawes told Reuters. "If it takes an extra couple of months to get that deal, I think the industry would put up with that," he said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government has been urging companies to ramp up their efforts to prepare for a no-deal Brexit but not everyone can repeat plans in place for the original March exit date.

Ministers have said they could help sectors hit by a disorderly exit and Brexiteers have long argued that Europe's biggest economy, Germany, which exports hundreds of thousands of cars to Britain each year, would protect that trade.

Whilst some preparations, such as new IT systems, can be carried over, others, including building additional component stocks have to be redone, and some plans, such as temporarily shutting plants to cope with no-deal, cannot be repeated by all.

BMW, which moved its annual summertime shutdown at its Mini and Rolls-Royce factories to April to mitigate the effects of a disorderly exit, has said it cannot do the same again this time.

"Some may have a degree of flexibility, others won't," said Hawes.

A series of new models, the key to firms already hit by a collapse in diesel demand, the dented Chinese market and electrification, are due to roll off British production lines over the next few months.

Nissan, which operates Britain's largest car factory, will be producing the new Juke from October, BMW's electric Mini is due in the autumn and Aston Martin's first sport-utility vehicle will be built at a new plant in Wales.

The uncertainty over Brexit leaves the future of Peugeot's British car plant, which builds the Vauxhall/Opel Astra, in question as the firm has committed to keeping the site open "conditional on the final terms of the UK's exit from the European Union."

Meanwhile, Britain's biggest carmaker Jaguar Land Rover, whose parent company posted record losses earlier this year, has said its Brexit planning costs were more than 100 million pounds ($123 million) between April and June.

All the main car companies in Britain are foreign-owned but the case for investing in the country as a gateway into Europe is at risk, Ian Henry, Professor in Automotive Business Strategy at Birmingham City University's Centre for Brexit Studies told Reuters.

"When you're talking about adding billions of pounds to the cost structure of an industry which either makes very low margins or no money at all, that can only undermine the viability of producing vehicles in this country," he said.

Britain should delay Brexit beyond October 31 rather than leave the European Union without a deal, which would be particularly harmful to large carmakers, the head of the sector's industry body told Reuters on Friday.

Britain should delay Brexit beyond October 31 rather than leave the European Union without a deal, which would be particularly harmful to large carmakers, the head of the sector's industry body told Reuters on Friday. As Britain spins towards an election, Brexit remains up in the air more than three years after Britons voted to leave the world's biggest trading bloc in a 2016 referendum leading to the country's biggest political crisis in decades. The autos sector, the country's biggest exporter of goods, has been one of the most vocal opponents of a no-deal Brexit, warning that production would be hit with tariffs, border delays and new bureaucracy, ruining the viability of many plants. "Leaving without a deal would be the worst outcome," the Chief Executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers of Traders (SMMT) Mike Hawes told Reuters. "If it takes an extra couple of months to get that deal, I think the industry would put up with that," he said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government has been urging companies to ramp up their efforts to prepare for a no-deal Brexit but not everyone can repeat plans in place for the original March exit date. Ministers have said they could help sectors hit by a disorderly exit and Brexiteers have long argued that Europe's biggest economy, Germany, which exports hundreds of thousands of cars to Britain each year, would protect that trade. Whilst some preparations, such as new IT systems, can be carried over, others, including building additional component stocks have to be redone, and some plans, such as temporarily shutting plants to cope with no-deal, cannot be repeated by all. BMW, which moved its annual summertime shutdown at its Mini and Rolls-Royce factories to April to mitigate the effects of a disorderly exit, has said it cannot do the same again this time. "Some may have a degree of flexibility, others won't," said Hawes. A series of new models, the key to firms already hit by a collapse in diesel demand, the dented Chinese market and electrification, are due to roll off British production lines over the next few months. Nissan, which operates Britain's largest car factory, will be producing the new Juke from October, BMW's electric Mini is due in the autumn and Aston Martin's first sport-utility vehicle will be built at a new plant in Wales. The uncertainty over Brexit leaves the future of Peugeot's British car plant, which builds the Vauxhall/Opel Astra, in question as the firm has committed to keeping the site open "conditional on the final terms of the UK's exit from the European Union." Meanwhile, Britain's biggest carmaker Jaguar Land Rover, whose parent company posted record losses earlier this year, has said its Brexit planning costs were more than 100 million pounds ($123 million) between April and June. All the main car companies in Britain are foreign-owned but the case for investing in the country as a gateway into Europe is at risk, Ian Henry, Professor in Automotive Business Strategy at Birmingham City University's Centre for Brexit Studies told Reuters. "When you're talking about adding billions of pounds to the cost structure of an industry which either makes very low margins or no money at all, that can only undermine the viability of producing vehicles in this country," he said.

Leaving without a deal would be the worst outcome: UK carmakers on no-deal Brexit

Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler Britain said Zimbabweans had "suffered for too long" under former president Robert Mugabe, who died Friday. "We express our condolences to those who mourn Robert Mugabe's death.

Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler Britain said Zimbabweans had "suffered for too long" under former president Robert Mugabe, who died Friday. "We express our condolences to those who mourn Robert Mugabe's death. However, Zimbabweans suffered for too long as a result of Mugabe's autocratic role," the foreign ministry said in a statement. It noted "mixed emotions" in Zimbabwe at the death of Mugabe, adding, "We hope that in this new era, Zimbabwe can continue to be set on a more democratic and prosperous path." Mugabe won the 1980 elections at the end of a black nationalist guerrilla war against white-minority rule in the rebel colony of Rhodesia. Peter Hain, a leading anti-apartheid campaigner, told AFP he was "elated" at the time. "It was a huge moment in history when he became president in a landslide and all of us cheered him on at the time." But he said Mugabe then "betrayed all of those values of justice and human rights and democracy under the freedom struggle and became a corrupt dictator". In 2000, Mugabe's supporters violently took over white-owned farms a watershed moment in relations between the West and their protege. Zimbabwe was suspended in 2002 from the Commonwealth, a grouping of former British colonies, and pulled out voluntarily in 2003. Last year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa applied to rejoin the Commonwealth after ousting Mugabe.

Zimbabweans 'suffered for too long' under Mugabe: UK

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/we-are-landing-where-no-one-has-gone-before-isro-chief-on-chandrayaan-2-248051">We are landing where no one has gone before: ISRO chief Sivan on Chandrayaan-2 landing</a>

India is all set to script history during the intervening night of Friday-Saturday with&nbsp;Chandrayaan-2&nbsp;scheduled to land on the region of the Moon which has not yet been explored by any country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-nuclear-programme-continues-to-operate-un-248015">North Korea's nuclear programme continues to operate: UN</a>

North Korea is pressing ahead with its&nbsp;nuclear weapons programme&nbsp;while evading sanctions, a United Nations report said, following a series of recent test-launches that have been downplayed by US President Donald Trump.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/what-is-soft-landing-on-the-moon-248031">Chandrayaan-2: What is 'soft landing' on the Moon?</a>

India's ambitious lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 is scheduled to make a "soft landing" on the surface of the Moon on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday between 1:30 am to 2:30 am(IST).

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-a-hypothesis-im-willing-to-contemplate-johnson-on-resignation-over-brexit-248022">Not a hypothesis I'm willing to contemplate, Johnson on resignation over Brexit</a>

As Britain stares at another election, PM Johnson said that he wasn't contemplating resigning over the Brexit deal which has got entangled in Parliament.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/all-eyes-on-indias-ambitious-lunar-mission-chandrayaan-2-touch-down-tonight-247882">All eyes on India's ambitious lunar mission Chandrayaan-2; touchdown tonight</a>

India's ambitious lunar mission Chandrayaan-2&nbsp;is scheduled to make a soft landing on the surface of the moon on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday between 1:30 am to 2:30 am.

We are landing where no one has gone before: ISRO chief Sivan on Chandrayaan-2 landing India is all set to script history during the intervening night of Friday-Saturday with Chandrayaan-2 scheduled to land on the region of the Moon which has not yet been explored by any country.

We are landing where no one has gone before: ISRO chief Sivan on Chandrayaan-2 landing India is all set to script history during the intervening night of Friday-Saturday with Chandrayaan-2 scheduled to land on the region of the Moon which has not yet been explored by any country. North Korea's nuclear programme continues to operate: UN North Korea is pressing ahead with its nuclear weapons programme while evading sanctions, a United Nations report said, following a series of recent test-launches that have been downplayed by US President Donald Trump. Chandrayaan-2: What is 'soft landing' on the Moon? India's ambitious lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 is scheduled to make a "soft landing" on the surface of the Moon on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday between 1:30 am to 2:30 am(IST). Not a hypothesis I'm willing to contemplate, Johnson on resignation over Brexit As Britain stares at another election, PM Johnson said that he wasn't contemplating resigning over the Brexit deal which has got entangled in Parliament. All eyes on India's ambitious lunar mission Chandrayaan-2; touchdown tonight India's ambitious lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 is scheduled to make a soft landing on the surface of the moon on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday between 1:30 am to 2:30 am.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi demanded Johnson apologise for the language he used regarding Muslim women in a 2018 newspaper column. Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson criticised Johnson for his failure to apologise in response to Dhesi and and for his "carelessness with language".

Tanmanjeet Singh takes Johnson to task, demands apology from Johnson

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson failed on Wednesday, September 4 to win the approval of enough lawmakers to go ahead with his plan to hold an early election. He needed to win the backing of at least 434 lawmakers, but only 298 voted in favour of an election while 56 voted against. The opposition Labour Party instructed its lawmakers to abstain on the vote.

UK PM faces two setbacks in one day

The British pound topped $1.23 on Thursday, hitting a one-month peak on fading prospects of a "no-deal" Brexit after a series of parliamentary votes tore up Prime Minister Boris Johnson's hardline stance.

By about 1020 GMT, sterling had surged to $1.2347, the highest level since July 29 having plunged to multi-year lows Tuesday.

Asian and European stock markets mainly rose Thursday, but London was hit by the strong pound that hurts multinationals whose earnings are mostly in foreign currencies.

Parliament is currently rushing through legislation designed to keep Johnson from breaking Britain off from the European Union without a trade deal.

They appeared on course to do so by Monday a victory that would be accomplished just ahead of the five-week shutdown of parliament Johnson controversially ordered last month.

'Fresh legs on the pound'

"News that the bill to stop a no-deal Brexit should complete its passage through the House of Lords by Friday afternoon has put fresh legs on the pound's rally," City Index analyst Fiona Cincotta told AFP.

"After a volatile start, sterling has now pushed over $1.23 as Britain moves further back from the brink of a no-deal Brexit.

"Whilst there are clearly some hurdles still to be overcome, pound traders are feeling significantly more optimistic about the UK's eventual exit from the EU," she added.

The embattled British currency had tanked on Tuesday to $1.1959 which was the pound's weakest level since 1985 except for a 2016 "flash crash".

Yet it has since rallied on rising hopes that Britain will not quit the European Union without a trade deal on October 31.

"The pound has been behaving as a tidy barometer of the odds of a no-deal Brexit," Rabobank analyst Jane Foley told AFP.

"Just as fears of a no-deal Brexit pushed the pound below $1.20 earlier this week, expectations that MPs will succeed in delaying Brexit beyond October 31 have resulting in a relief rally back to $1.23.

"The pound is clearly not out of the woods with political uncertainty still at very elevated levels&nbsp;but the risk of a disorderly Brexit next month at least looks set to be pushed off the table," Foley added.

The bill would force Johnson to seek a three-month Brexit extension until January 31 should no deal emerge from an EU summit in Brussels on October 17-18.

Stocks mainly climb

Elsewhere, equities mostly rose, building on the previous day's advance as investors were cheered by a number of positive developments on trade, Hong Kong and Europe.

Markets were already on an upward trajectory after the leader of Hong Kong on Wednesday withdrew a controversial extradition bill that had sparked months of sometimes violent protests in the financial hub.

But the good news kept coming as the day wore on, with news that Italy had formed a new moderate, pro-European government, while British MPs moved closer to preventing a no-deal Brexit.

Then on Thursday morning, China announced it would resume trade talks with the United States in Washington next month.

However, Hong Kong ended with marginal losses.&nbsp;

Having soared almost four per cent on Wednesday on the back of Chief Executive Carrie Lam's shock decision, profit-takers moved in.

Lam on Thursday urged pro-democracy protesters to end their demonstrations but her surprise decision to bow to one of their key demands was condemned as too little, too late.

The British pound topped $1.23 on Thursday, hitting a one-month peak on fading prospects of a "no-deal" Brexit after a series of parliamentary votes tore up Prime Minister Boris Johnson's hardline stance.

The British pound topped $1.23 on Thursday, hitting a one-month peak on fading prospects of a "no-deal" Brexit after a series of parliamentary votes tore up Prime Minister Boris Johnson's hardline stance. By about 1020 GMT, sterling had surged to $1.2347, the highest level since July 29 having plunged to multi-year lows Tuesday. Asian and European stock markets mainly rose Thursday, but London was hit by the strong pound that hurts multinationals whose earnings are mostly in foreign currencies. Parliament is currently rushing through legislation designed to keep Johnson from breaking Britain off from the European Union without a trade deal. They appeared on course to do so by Monday a victory that would be accomplished just ahead of the five-week shutdown of parliament Johnson controversially ordered last month. 'Fresh legs on the pound' "News that the bill to stop a no-deal Brexit should complete its passage through the House of Lords by Friday afternoon has put fresh legs on the pound's rally," City Index analyst Fiona Cincotta told AFP. "After a volatile start, sterling has now pushed over $1.23 as Britain moves further back from the brink of a no-deal Brexit. "Whilst there are clearly some hurdles still to be overcome, pound traders are feeling significantly more optimistic about the UK's eventual exit from the EU," she added. The embattled British currency had tanked on Tuesday to $1.1959 which was the pound's weakest level since 1985 except for a 2016 "flash crash". Yet it has since rallied on rising hopes that Britain will not quit the European Union without a trade deal on October 31. "The pound has been behaving as a tidy barometer of the odds of a no-deal Brexit," Rabobank analyst Jane Foley told AFP. "Just as fears of a no-deal Brexit pushed the pound below $1.20 earlier this week, expectations that MPs will succeed in delaying Brexit beyond October 31 have resulting in a relief rally back to $1.23. "The pound is clearly not out of the woods with political uncertainty still at very elevated levels but the risk of a disorderly Brexit next month at least looks set to be pushed off the table," Foley added. The bill would force Johnson to seek a three-month Brexit extension until January 31 should no deal emerge from an EU summit in Brussels on October 17-18. Stocks mainly climb Elsewhere, equities mostly rose, building on the previous day's advance as investors were cheered by a number of positive developments on trade, Hong Kong and Europe. Markets were already on an upward trajectory after the leader of Hong Kong on Wednesday withdrew a controversial extradition bill that had sparked months of sometimes violent protests in the financial hub. But the good news kept coming as the day wore on, with news that Italy had formed a new moderate, pro-European government, while British MPs moved closer to preventing a no-deal Brexit. Then on Thursday morning, China announced it would resume trade talks with the United States in Washington next month. However, Hong Kong ended with marginal losses. Having soared almost four per cent on Wednesday on the back of Chief Executive Carrie Lam's shock decision, profit-takers moved in. Lam on Thursday urged pro-democracy protesters to end their demonstrations but her surprise decision to bow to one of their key demands was condemned as too little, too late.

Pound tops $1.23 on fading no-deal Brexit prospect

Leaving the European Union without a trade deal would cost Britain at least $16 billion in lost EU sales, and probably far more after accounting for indirect effects and other markets, a report by the U.N. trade agency UNCTAD said on Tuesday (September 3).

"No deal" Brexit would cost at least $16 billion in UK sales to the EU – U.N.

British lawmakers defeated Boris Johnson in parliament on Tuesday in a bid to prevent him taking Britain out of the EU without a divorce agreement, prompting the prime minister to announce that he would immediately push for a snap election. Watch this video to know more.

Boris Johnson loses first key vote

President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will announce a new step in scaling back its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-warns-of-further-retreat-from-nuclear-deal-if-no-european-action-by-thursday-247504">nuclear commitments</a> by Thursday despite a diplomatic push for relief from US sanctions.

Iran and three European countries- Britain, France and Germany, have been engaged in talks to save a 2015 nuclear deal that has been unravelling since the US withdrew from it May last year.

The efforts have been led by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been trying to convince the US to offer Iran some sort of relief from crippling sanctions it has reimposed on the Islamic republic since its pullout.

"I don't think that we will reach a deal so we'll take the third step and we will announce the details today or tomorrow," Rouhani was quoted as saying Wednesday by the presidency website.

The Iranian president said the two sides were getting closer to an agreement on a way to resolve burning issues.

"If we had 20 issues of disagreement with the Europeans in the past, today there are three issues," he said.

"Most of them have been resolved but we haven't reached a final agreement."

Iran has hit back with countermeasures in response to the US withdrawal from the 2015 deal, which gave it relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

In July, it said it had increased its stockpile of enriched uranium to beyond the maximum set by the deal. It later announced it had exceeded a cap on the level of enrichment of its stocks.

Iran has long been threatening to carry out the third step by Friday unless other parties to the deal offset the effect of US sanctions in return for its continued compliance.

A deputy foreign minister said Iran would resume full compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) if it is allowed to sell its oil or get a $15-billion credit line guaranteed by future crude sales.

Abbas Araghchi expressed doubt, however, that such a plan could be agreed by the deadline set by Iran for sanctions relief.

"Iran&nbsp;will return to full implementation of the JCPOA only if it is able to sell its oil and to fully benefit from the income from these sales," said Araghchi.

"The French proposal goes in that direction," the deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

Araghchi, speaking days after leading an economic delegation to France, ruled out any renegotiation of the JCPOA but said Iran was open to talks on how to implement it better.

"Returning to full implementation of the JCPOA is subject to receiving $15 billion over a period of four months, otherwise the process of Iran reducing its commitments will continue," he said.

The 2015 nuclear deal was agreed between Iran and the so-called 5+1 -- UN Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany. 
&nbsp;

President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will announce a new step in scaling back its nuclear commitments by Thursday despite a diplomatic push for relief from US sanctions.

President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will announce a new step in scaling back its nuclear commitments by Thursday despite a diplomatic push for relief from US sanctions. Iran and three European countries- Britain, France and Germany, have been engaged in talks to save a 2015 nuclear deal that has been unravelling since the US withdrew from it May last year. The efforts have been led by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been trying to convince the US to offer Iran some sort of relief from crippling sanctions it has reimposed on the Islamic republic since its pullout. "I don't think that we will reach a deal so we'll take the third step and we will announce the details today or tomorrow," Rouhani was quoted as saying Wednesday by the presidency website. The Iranian president said the two sides were getting closer to an agreement on a way to resolve burning issues. "If we had 20 issues of disagreement with the Europeans in the past, today there are three issues," he said. "Most of them have been resolved but we haven't reached a final agreement." Iran has hit back with countermeasures in response to the US withdrawal from the 2015 deal, which gave it relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme. In July, it said it had increased its stockpile of enriched uranium to beyond the maximum set by the deal. It later announced it had exceeded a cap on the level of enrichment of its stocks. Iran has long been threatening to carry out the third step by Friday unless other parties to the deal offset the effect of US sanctions in return for its continued compliance. A deputy foreign minister said Iran would resume full compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) if it is allowed to sell its oil or get a $15-billion credit line guaranteed by future crude sales. Abbas Araghchi expressed doubt, however, that such a plan could be agreed by the deadline set by Iran for sanctions relief. "Iran will return to full implementation of the JCPOA only if it is able to sell its oil and to fully benefit from the income from these sales," said Araghchi. "The French proposal goes in that direction," the deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. Araghchi, speaking days after leading an economic delegation to France, ruled out any renegotiation of the JCPOA but said Iran was open to talks on how to implement it better. "Returning to full implementation of the JCPOA is subject to receiving $15 billion over a period of four months, otherwise the process of Iran reducing its commitments will continue," he said. The 2015 nuclear deal was agreed between Iran and the so-called 5+1 -- UN Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany.

Iran President Hassan Rouhani set to make new cut in nuclear commitments

Parliament continues the day after an alliance of opposition lawmakers backed by 21 rebels from Johnson's Conservative Party defeated the government on Tuesday on a motion allowing them to try to pass a law which would force a three-month extension to Britain's EU exit date.

Britain's parliament resumes the day after crucial 'no deal' vote

By Paul Whiteley and Harold D Clarke

After a showdown between prime minister Boris Johnson and MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit, the UK appears on course for an election in a matter of weeks.

Much parliamentary action will now play out to determine exactly when the vote will take place. The government remains eager to ensure the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU) by October 31. Oppositions parties are eager to ensure this does not happen in a no-deal scenario. But developments at Westminster mean an election at some point soon is almost certain. The key question, therefore, what might the outcome of such an election be in such unpredictable times?

We have considered the results across 138 polls conducted between November 4, 2018, and August 22 2019.

All polls contain a combination of information and noise, the latter resulting from errors in sampling, in interviewing and in other factors which are an inherent part of survey methodology. By “pooling the polls” the figure maximises the information and minimises the noise because the samples are very large and rogue polls which happen by chance do not dominate the picture.

Both Conservative and Labour support declined markedly in the run-up to the European Parliament elections on May 23. Since then, Conservative fortunes have partially revived, but party support is only in the low 30 per cent range – nearly 10 per cent less than its vote in the 2017 general election.

Labour is in even worse shape, languishing in the low to mid-20s. Polls on voting intentions go back as far as the 1930s, but it is safe to say that such a car crash in support for both major parties has never been seen before. So we are in uncharted territory.

The major parties’ poll numbers indicate that, in a two-party contest, the apparent “Boris bounce” in Conservative vote intentions would very likely deliver a majority in the House of Commons.

One important reason why Labour has fallen so far behind is the large decline in Jeremy Corbyn’s popularity since the 2017 general election. His approval ratings then were around 45 per cent. But by August this year they had fallen below 20 per cent and are now very stable from one poll to the next. A large majority of voters appear to have reached the conclusion that he is not up to the job of being prime minister. Negative public feelings about Corbyn are bound to be a drag on his party’s efforts to close the gap with the Conservatives.

Lib Dem Threat

The real problem for the Conservatives is not Labour but the continuing popularity of the Liberal Democrats and the Brexit Party. The Liberal Democrats are now consistently polling in the high teens – twice what previously had been typical. In the 2015 general election, the Liberal Democrats’ vote collapsed and the Conservatives took 27 seats from them. While the Liberal Democrats recovered a little in the subsequent 2017 general election, they still only had 12 MPs.

The situation has now completely changed. If the current surge in Liberal Democrat voting intentions holds, there is a good chance that the party will win back all of the seats it lost to the Conservatives in 2015. In addition, the Lib Dems are likely to win extra seats from disgruntled Conservative Remainers who will defect in response to the Conservative’s hard-line stance on Brexit.

It is true that the Liberal Democrats will take votes from Labour as well as the Conservatives, but the policy distance between the Lib Dems and Labour on relations with the EU is now much smaller than it is with the Conservatives. The danger for the Conservatives is that Remainers are likely to vote tactically as a result, supporting the Liberal Democrats in seats in the West Country, for example, and Labour in seats in the North-East and Merseyside.

What of the Brexit Party?

There is a narrative which suggests that Brexit Party support will collapse in a forthcoming election much like UKIP’s did in 2017. But this ignores a key difference between Brexit Party and Conservative supporters. In our national survey conducted shortly after the European elections, 78 per cent of Brexit Party identifiers wanted to leave the EU with no deal. This compared with only 46 per cent of Conservative identifiers who wanted this outcome.

In a rally in London, Nigel Farage committed his party to no deal. He was quick to point out that Johnson had voted for Theresa May’s agreement when it came up for the third time in parliament – and was therefore not to be trusted. The Prime Minister is taking a very hard line against Conservative rebels by threatening to remove the whip from them, but at the same time he is arguing that he wants a deal with the EU – something which is an anathema to the Brexit party supporters.

This lack of trust in the prime minister to deliver a no-deal Brexit puts him in a tricky situation – he needs most of the Brexit Party supporters to produce a no-deal outcome. Given his insistence that he is still seeking a deal with Brussels, Johnson is unlikely to win Brexit Party voters until there is actually a no-deal Brexit.

The Brexit Party will not take seats in a snap election, but it could easily stymie the Conservatives’ chances of winning.

The prime minister has had to seek an early election since the alternative was to stagger on without a majority and with parliamentary action to stop a no-deal Brexit becoming a reality. The campaign hasn’t formally begun yet, but the posturing is underway. The outcome, though, remains very difficult to predict.

(Paul Whiteley is Professor, Department of Government, University of Essex; Harold D Clarke is Ashbel Smith Professor, the University of Texas at Dallas)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk-general-election-if-so-heres-what-the-polls-are-telling-us-122759">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

By Paul Whiteley and Harold D Clarke After a showdown between prime minister Boris Johnson and MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit, the UK appears on course for an election in a matter of weeks.

By Paul Whiteley and Harold D Clarke After a showdown between prime minister Boris Johnson and MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit, the UK appears on course for an election in a matter of weeks. Much parliamentary action will now play out to determine exactly when the vote will take place. The government remains eager to ensure the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU) by October 31. Oppositions parties are eager to ensure this does not happen in a no-deal scenario. But developments at Westminster mean an election at some point soon is almost certain. The key question, therefore, what might the outcome of such an election be in such unpredictable times? We have considered the results across 138 polls conducted between November 4, 2018, and August 22 2019. All polls contain a combination of information and noise, the latter resulting from errors in sampling, in interviewing and in other factors which are an inherent part of survey methodology. By “pooling the polls” the figure maximises the information and minimises the noise because the samples are very large and rogue polls which happen by chance do not dominate the picture. Both Conservative and Labour support declined markedly in the run-up to the European Parliament elections on May 23. Since then, Conservative fortunes have partially revived, but party support is only in the low 30 per cent range – nearly 10 per cent less than its vote in the 2017 general election. Labour is in even worse shape, languishing in the low to mid-20s. Polls on voting intentions go back as far as the 1930s, but it is safe to say that such a car crash in support for both major parties has never been seen before. So we are in uncharted territory. The major parties’ poll numbers indicate that, in a two-party contest, the apparent “Boris bounce” in Conservative vote intentions would very likely deliver a majority in the House of Commons. One important reason why Labour has fallen so far behind is the large decline in Jeremy Corbyn’s popularity since the 2017 general election. His approval ratings then were around 45 per cent. But by August this year they had fallen below 20 per cent and are now very stable from one poll to the next. A large majority of voters appear to have reached the conclusion that he is not up to the job of being prime minister. Negative public feelings about Corbyn are bound to be a drag on his party’s efforts to close the gap with the Conservatives. Lib Dem Threat The real problem for the Conservatives is not Labour but the continuing popularity of the Liberal Democrats and the Brexit Party. The Liberal Democrats are now consistently polling in the high teens – twice what previously had been typical. In the 2015 general election, the Liberal Democrats’ vote collapsed and the Conservatives took 27 seats from them. While the Liberal Democrats recovered a little in the subsequent 2017 general election, they still only had 12 MPs. The situation has now completely changed. If the current surge in Liberal Democrat voting intentions holds, there is a good chance that the party will win back all of the seats it lost to the Conservatives in 2015. In addition, the Lib Dems are likely to win extra seats from disgruntled Conservative Remainers who will defect in response to the Conservative’s hard-line stance on Brexit. It is true that the Liberal Democrats will take votes from Labour as well as the Conservatives, but the policy distance between the Lib Dems and Labour on relations with the EU is now much smaller than it is with the Conservatives. The danger for the Conservatives is that Remainers are likely to vote tactically as a result, supporting the Liberal Democrats in seats in the West Country, for example, and Labour in seats in the North-East and Merseyside. What of the Brexit Party? There is a narrative which suggests that Brexit Party support will collapse in a forthcoming election much like UKIP’s did in 2017. But this ignores a key difference between Brexit Party and Conservative supporters. In our national survey conducted shortly after the European elections, 78 per cent of Brexit Party identifiers wanted to leave the EU with no deal. This compared with only 46 per cent of Conservative identifiers who wanted this outcome. In a rally in London, Nigel Farage committed his party to no deal. He was quick to point out that Johnson had voted for Theresa May’s agreement when it came up for the third time in parliament – and was therefore not to be trusted. The Prime Minister is taking a very hard line against Conservative rebels by threatening to remove the whip from them, but at the same time he is arguing that he wants a deal with the EU – something which is an anathema to the Brexit party supporters. This lack of trust in the prime minister to deliver a no-deal Brexit puts him in a tricky situation – he needs most of the Brexit Party supporters to produce a no-deal outcome. Given his insistence that he is still seeking a deal with Brussels, Johnson is unlikely to win Brexit Party voters until there is actually a no-deal Brexit. The Brexit Party will not take seats in a snap election, but it could easily stymie the Conservatives’ chances of winning. The prime minister has had to seek an early election since the alternative was to stagger on without a majority and with parliamentary action to stop a no-deal Brexit becoming a reality. The campaign hasn’t formally begun yet, but the posturing is underway. The outcome, though, remains very difficult to predict. (Paul Whiteley is Professor, Department of Government, University of Essex; Harold D Clarke is Ashbel Smith Professor, the University of Texas at Dallas) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

UK general election? If so, here’s what the polls are telling us

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday (September 2) he did not want an election, as he called on lawmakers not to vote for a further delay to Brexit. Lawmakers plan to try to seize parliamentary time on Wednesday (September 3) to pass legislation which would force Johnson to ask for an extension to Britain's exit from the European Union. Britain will leave the bloc on October 31 without a deal unless an agreement is struck with the EU and ratified by the British parliament, or legislation is passed to delay or revoke the departure notice.

UK PM Boris Johnson threatens a snap election

The United States, Britain and France may be complicit in war crimes in Yemen by arming and providing intelligence and logistics support to a Saudi-led coalition that starves civilians as a war tactic, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

UN&nbsp;investigators recommended that all states impose a ban on arms transfers to the warring parties to prevent them from being used to commit serious violations.

"It is clear that the continued supply of weapons to parties to the conflict is perpetuating the conflict and prolonging the suffering of the Yememi people," Melissa Parke, an expert on the independent UN&nbsp;panel, told a news conference.

"That is why we are urging member states to no longer supply weapons to parties to the conflict," she said.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the main parties in the coalition fighting against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement that controls Yemen's capital, are two of the biggest buyers of US, British and French weapons.

The experts compiled a secret list of suspected war criminals. Investigators found potential crimes on both sides, while highlighting the role Western countries play as backers of the Arab states and Iran plays in support of the Houthis.

"There are no clean hands in this combat, in this contest," panelist Charles Garraway said.

The report accused the anti-Houthi coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE of killing civilians in air strikes and deliberately denying them food in a country facing famine. The Houthis, for their part, have shelled cities, deployed child soldiers and used "siege-like warfare", it said.

Neither the Saudi government communications office nor UAE officials responded immediately to Reuters requests for comment.

The Houthis drove Yemen's government out of the capital Sanaa in 2014. The Saudi-led coalition of Sunni Muslim states intervened the following year to restore the ousted government, a conflict that has since killed tens of thousands of people.

The prospect of famine has created what the United Nations describes as the world's biggest humanitarian crisis, where 24 million people rely on aid.

Secret List

The UN&nbsp;report said its independent panel had sent a secret list to UN&nbsp;human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, identifying "individuals who may be responsible for international crimes".

Its appendix lists more than 160 "main actors" among Saudi, Emirati and Yemeni government and Houthi officials, although it said this was separate from the suspects list.

The report said, "The legality of arms transfers by France, the United Kingdom, the United States and other States remains questionable, and is the subject of various domestic court proceedings."

It found that a Joint Incidents Assessment Team set up by Saudi Arabia to review alleged coalition violations had failed to hold anyone accountable for any strike killing civilians, raising "concerns as to the impartiality of its investigations".

"Of one thing we are pretty sure - things are going wrong in the (coalition) targeting process," Garraway said.

The UN&nbsp;panel said it had received allegations that Emirati and affiliated forces have tortured, raped and killed suspected political opponents detained in secret facilities, while Houthi forces had planted land mines that killed hundreds.

The United States, Britain and France may be complicit in war crimes in Yemen by arming and providing intelligence and logistics support to a Saudi-led coalition that starves civilians as a war tactic, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

The United States, Britain and France may be complicit in war crimes in Yemen by arming and providing intelligence and logistics support to a Saudi-led coalition that starves civilians as a war tactic, the United Nations said on Tuesday. UN investigators recommended that all states impose a ban on arms transfers to the warring parties to prevent them from being used to commit serious violations. "It is clear that the continued supply of weapons to parties to the conflict is perpetuating the conflict and prolonging the suffering of the Yememi people," Melissa Parke, an expert on the independent UN panel, told a news conference. "That is why we are urging member states to no longer supply weapons to parties to the conflict," she said. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the main parties in the coalition fighting against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement that controls Yemen's capital, are two of the biggest buyers of US, British and French weapons. The experts compiled a secret list of suspected war criminals. Investigators found potential crimes on both sides, while highlighting the role Western countries play as backers of the Arab states and Iran plays in support of the Houthis. "There are no clean hands in this combat, in this contest," panelist Charles Garraway said. The report accused the anti-Houthi coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE of killing civilians in air strikes and deliberately denying them food in a country facing famine. The Houthis, for their part, have shelled cities, deployed child soldiers and used "siege-like warfare", it said. Neither the Saudi government communications office nor UAE officials responded immediately to Reuters requests for comment. The Houthis drove Yemen's government out of the capital Sanaa in 2014. The Saudi-led coalition of Sunni Muslim states intervened the following year to restore the ousted government, a conflict that has since killed tens of thousands of people. The prospect of famine has created what the United Nations describes as the world's biggest humanitarian crisis, where 24 million people rely on aid. Secret List The UN report said its independent panel had sent a secret list to UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, identifying "individuals who may be responsible for international crimes". Its appendix lists more than 160 "main actors" among Saudi, Emirati and Yemeni government and Houthi officials, although it said this was separate from the suspects list. The report said, "The legality of arms transfers by France, the United Kingdom, the United States and other States remains questionable, and is the subject of various domestic court proceedings." It found that a Joint Incidents Assessment Team set up by Saudi Arabia to review alleged coalition violations had failed to hold anyone accountable for any strike killing civilians, raising "concerns as to the impartiality of its investigations". "Of one thing we are pretty sure - things are going wrong in the (coalition) targeting process," Garraway said. The UN panel said it had received allegations that Emirati and affiliated forces have tortured, raped and killed suspected political opponents detained in secret facilities, while Houthi forces had planted land mines that killed hundreds.

US, France, Britain may be complicit in Yemen war crimes: UN report

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