Kemi Badenoch's tenure as leader of the UK's Conservative Party has begun with one of the worst approval ratings — weaker than those of her predecessors Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson at the start of their leadership, according to the latest 'Opinium poll' by the Observer.&nbsp;

Badenoch's net approval rating, as per the poll, stands at -5 per cent. Before this, only Liz Truss, at -9 per cent, fared worse among recent Tory leaders. &nbsp;

<h2>Breakdown of Conservative Party leader's ratings&nbsp;</h2>

The poll revealed that while 20 per cent of voters approve of Badenoch, 25 per cent disapprove. Among those who backed the Conservatives in the last general election, 46 per cent approve of her leadership, though 36 per cent remain neutral. Despite this lukewarm start, Badenoch’s approval score is significantly better than the -22 per cent net rating Sunak had at the end of his leadership. &nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiGocaw--KJAxVcZWwGHbwqAe0QxfQBKAB6BAgOEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-kemi-badenoch-the-newly-elected-leader-of-uk-conservatives-set-to-replace-rishi-sunak-772787" jsname="YKoRaf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Who is Kemi Badenoch, the newly elected leader of UK Conservatives set to replace Rishi Sunak?</a>

<h2>Starmer vs Badenoch: Approval ratings</h2>

As per The Guardian, Labour leader Keir Starmer's approval rating remains static from a fortnight ago at -24 per cent. Yet, when voters are asked who would make the best prime minister, Starmer leads Badenoch by 12 percentage points. This is a notable increase from the seven-point gap he held over Sunak two weeks ago. &nbsp;

Badenoch, however, appears to resonate with voters as a leader with strong convictions. She outshines Starmer significantly on perceived bravery, with a net score of +8 compared to his -19 per cent. Early impressions suggest that voters see her as principled, decisive, and willing to stick to her beliefs. &nbsp;

<h2>Trump's return&nbsp;</h2>

The survey also marks the first Opinium poll since Donald Trump's US election victory, an event that appears to have sharply divided UK opinion. While 30 per cent of Britons view Trump's return positively, 44 per cent see it as a negative development.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-be-honoured-with-nigerias-2nd-highest-national-award-grand-commander-of-the-order-of-the-niger-776819">PM Modi to be honoured with Nigeria's 2nd highest national award, 'Grand Commander of The Order of the Niger'</a>

His re-election has raised concerns over its implications for Ukraine, with almost half of UK adults believing it bodes poorly for the war-torn country. &nbsp;

Despite the polarisation, 72 per cent of Britons maintain that the UK and US share much in common, though only 56 per cent still regard the US as an ally. Notably, 43 per cent believe the UK should prioritise standing by its principles, even if it means diverging from American policies. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Kemi Badenoch's tenure as leader of the UK's Conservative Party has begun with one of the worst approval ratings — weaker than those of her predecessors Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson at the start of their leadership, according to the latest 'Opinium poll' by the Observer.

Kemi Badenoch's tenure as leader of the UK's Conservative Party has begun with one of the worst approval ratings — weaker than those of her predecessors Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson at the start of their leadership, according to the latest 'Opinium poll' by the Observer. Badenoch's net approval rating, as per the poll, stands at -5 per cent. Before this, only Liz Truss, at -9 per cent, fared worse among recent Tory leaders. Breakdown of Conservative Party leader's ratings The poll revealed that while 20 per cent of voters approve of Badenoch, 25 per cent disapprove. Among those who backed the Conservatives in the last general election, 46 per cent approve of her leadership, though 36 per cent remain neutral. Despite this lukewarm start, Badenoch’s approval score is significantly better than the -22 per cent net rating Sunak had at the end of his leadership. Also read | Who is Kemi Badenoch, the newly elected leader of UK Conservatives set to replace Rishi Sunak? Starmer vs Badenoch: Approval ratings As per The Guardian, Labour leader Keir Starmer's approval rating remains static from a fortnight ago at -24 per cent. Yet, when voters are asked who would make the best prime minister, Starmer leads Badenoch by 12 percentage points. This is a notable increase from the seven-point gap he held over Sunak two weeks ago. Badenoch, however, appears to resonate with voters as a leader with strong convictions. She outshines Starmer significantly on perceived bravery, with a net score of +8 compared to his -19 per cent. Early impressions suggest that voters see her as principled, decisive, and willing to stick to her beliefs. Trump's return The survey also marks the first Opinium poll since Donald Trump's US election victory, an event that appears to have sharply divided UK opinion. While 30 per cent of Britons view Trump's return positively, 44 per cent see it as a negative development. Also read | PM Modi to be honoured with Nigeria's 2nd highest national award, 'Grand Commander of The Order of the Niger' His re-election has raised concerns over its implications for Ukraine, with almost half of UK adults believing it bodes poorly for the war-torn country. Despite the polarisation, 72 per cent of Britons maintain that the UK and US share much in common, though only 56 per cent still regard the US as an ally. Notably, 43 per cent believe the UK should prioritise standing by its principles, even if it means diverging from American policies. (With inputs from agencies)

UK: Kemi Badenoch's leadership kicks off with -5% approval, second weakest among recent Tory leaders

Liz Truss won the conservative party leadership election by a margin of around 20,000 votes. The former Foreign Secretary will be the United Kingdom's third female Prime Minister and the 15th under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

As per an AFP report, the monarch is expected to ask Truss to form a government on Tuesday after Boris Johnson formally tenders his resignation.

Queen Elizabeth II took over the British throne in 1952, and during her 70 years of reign, fifteen leaders have resided in 10 Downing Street.

Here is a list of the fifteen UK Prime Ministers that have governed the United Kingdom alongside the current British monarch:

1. Winston Churchill (Conservative, 1951-55)

2. Anthony Eden (Conservative, 1955-57)

3. Harold Macmillan (Conservative, 1957-63)

4. Alec Douglas-Home (Conservative, 1963-64)

5. Harold Wilson (Labour, 1964-70 and 1974-76)

6. Edward Heath (Conservative, 1970-74)

7. James Callaghan (Labour, 1976-79)

8. Margaret Thatcher (Conservative, 1979-90)

9. John Major (Conservative, 1990-97)

10. Tony Blair (Labour, 1997-2007)

11. Gordon Brown (Labour, 2007-10)

12. David Cameron (Conservative, 2010-16)

13. Theresa May (Conservative, 2016-19)

14. Boris Johnson (Conservative, 2019-22) &nbsp;

15. Liz Truss (PM-elect)

As per a Reuters report, a palace representative announced last week that due to mobility concerns, the queen would appoint Britain's new prime minister at her Scottish estate of Balmoral Castle rather than at Buckingham Palace in London.

She will not attend the Braemar Highland Gathering in Scotland. This will be the first time she has missed the gathering since ascending to the throne 70 years ago.

The 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth II is the world's longest-reigning living monarch. She ascended to the throne at the age of 25 after the death of her father George VI.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Liz Truss won the conservative party leadership election by a margin of around 20,000 votes. The former Foreign Secretary will be the United Kingdom's third female Prime Minister and the 15th under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

Liz Truss won the conservative party leadership election by a margin of around 20,000 votes. The former Foreign Secretary will be the United Kingdom's third female Prime Minister and the 15th under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. As per an AFP report, the monarch is expected to ask Truss to form a government on Tuesday after Boris Johnson formally tenders his resignation. Queen Elizabeth II took over the British throne in 1952, and during her 70 years of reign, fifteen leaders have resided in 10 Downing Street. Here is a list of the fifteen UK Prime Ministers that have governed the United Kingdom alongside the current British monarch: 1. Winston Churchill (Conservative, 1951-55) 2. Anthony Eden (Conservative, 1955-57) 3. Harold Macmillan (Conservative, 1957-63) 4. Alec Douglas-Home (Conservative, 1963-64) 5. Harold Wilson (Labour, 1964-70 and 1974-76) 6. Edward Heath (Conservative, 1970-74) 7. James Callaghan (Labour, 1976-79) 8. Margaret Thatcher (Conservative, 1979-90) 9. John Major (Conservative, 1990-97) 10. Tony Blair (Labour, 1997-2007) 11. Gordon Brown (Labour, 2007-10) 12. David Cameron (Conservative, 2010-16) 13. Theresa May (Conservative, 2016-19) 14. Boris Johnson (Conservative, 2019-22) 15. Liz Truss (PM-elect) As per a Reuters report, a palace representative announced last week that due to mobility concerns, the queen would appoint Britain's new prime minister at her Scottish estate of Balmoral Castle rather than at Buckingham Palace in London. She will not attend the Braemar Highland Gathering in Scotland. This will be the first time she has missed the gathering since ascending to the throne 70 years ago. The 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth II is the world's longest-reigning living monarch. She ascended to the throne at the age of 25 after the death of her father George VI. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Liz Truss wins to become UK's 15th Prime Minister under Queen Elizabeth II. A look at her predecessors

Adding to the roster of senior Tories backing her leadership bid, former Conservative health minister Sajid Javid announced Wednesday his support for Liz Truss as the UK's next Conservative prime minister.

Leading to a wave of resignations, Javid resigned as Health Secretary in Boris Johnson's government in early July at the same time as former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak.

Javid said in an article published in The Times on Wednesday "After careful consideration, it is clear to me that Liz Truss is best placed to pass these tests."

Praising Truss' "sharp focus and willingness to challenge the status quo", Javid said that the new prime minister would need to swiftly reunite the party.

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Slamming Sunak for not cutting taxes, Javid challenged his approach to the economy and said we need to show "we are rising to the challenges of our times".

Other than Javid, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi, international trade minister Penny Mordaunt, Tory centrist Tom Tugendhat, and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis have backed Truss.

Citing a series of scandals and missteps over the last 12 months, the ruling Conservative Party is choosing a new leader after Johnson was forced to announce his resignation when ministers resigned en masse from his government.

With a winner to be announced on September 5, the party's members will vote by postal ballot or online over the next few weeks.

Truss has extended her lead in the race to be Britain's next leader, with 58 per cent of participants showing support for Truss in a survey of 1,003 party members.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Adding to the roster of senior Tories backing her leadership bid, former Conservative health minister Sajid Javid announced Wednesday his support for Liz Truss as the UK's next Conservative prime minister.

Adding to the roster of senior Tories backing her leadership bid, former Conservative health minister Sajid Javid announced Wednesday his support for Liz Truss as the UK's next Conservative prime minister. Leading to a wave of resignations, Javid resigned as Health Secretary in Boris Johnson's government in early July at the same time as former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak. Javid said in an article published in The Times on Wednesday "After careful consideration, it is clear to me that Liz Truss is best placed to pass these tests." Praising Truss' "sharp focus and willingness to challenge the status quo", Javid said that the new prime minister would need to swiftly reunite the party. × Slamming Sunak for not cutting taxes, Javid challenged his approach to the economy and said we need to show "we are rising to the challenges of our times". Other than Javid, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi, international trade minister Penny Mordaunt, Tory centrist Tom Tugendhat, and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis have backed Truss. Citing a series of scandals and missteps over the last 12 months, the ruling Conservative Party is choosing a new leader after Johnson was forced to announce his resignation when ministers resigned en masse from his government. With a winner to be announced on September 5, the party's members will vote by postal ballot or online over the next few weeks. Truss has extended her lead in the race to be Britain's next leader, with 58 per cent of participants showing support for Truss in a survey of 1,003 party members. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Former Conservative health minister Sajid Javid announces his support for Liz Truss

After coming under fierce fire in Scotland for making a policy U-turn, polls show Conservative Liz Truss ahead in the race to become Britain's next prime minister. A new survey said the foreign secretary had extended her lead over former finance minister Rishi Sunak as Tory members begin voting for a new party leader by post and online this week. 60 per cent of party members said they would vote for her in comparison to 26 per cent who supported Sunak, according to a YouGov poll for The Times.

Following her remarks alleging First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was an "attention seeker", her lead had narrowed from more than 20 points to just five.

Denouncing her remarks, the Scottish National Party (SNP) said it will continue to press for a second referendum on independence.

Calling her comments "obnoxious", Sturgeon's deputy as the first minister of Scotland, John Swinney told BBC television "Nicola Sturgeon has far more democratic legitimacy than Liz Truss is going to have if she becomes the prime minister."

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Even though Scots voted narrowly in 2014 to stay in the UK, the SNP wants to hold a second plebiscite in October 2023.

In a bid to turn a page on the Johnson government and address Britons' economic fears, both Truss and Sunak have been issuing daily pledges of policy changes and have also been trying to curry favour with right-wingers in the Tory rank and file.&nbsp;

As part of a plan to wage "war on Whitehall waste", Truss outlined the creation of "regional pay boards" outside London for public-sector pay.

According to her campaign, the plan could save £8.8 billion ($10.75 billion) a year if it covered "all public-sector workers in the long term".

Noting that all state workers would include health care and government employees, Tories in more deprived regions of England criticised the idea.

Insisting in an apparent U-turn that there was no plot to slash the pay of any public-sector workers, a Truss campaign spokesperson alleged Tuesday the plan had been subject to "wilful misrepresentation".

(With inputs from agencies)

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&nbsp;

After coming under fierce fire in Scotland for making a policy U-turn, polls show Conservative Liz Truss ahead in the race to become Britain's next prime minister.

After coming under fierce fire in Scotland for making a policy U-turn, polls show Conservative Liz Truss ahead in the race to become Britain's next prime minister. A new survey said the foreign secretary had extended her lead over former finance minister Rishi Sunak as Tory members begin voting for a new party leader by post and online this week. 60 per cent of party members said they would vote for her in comparison to 26 per cent who supported Sunak, according to a YouGov poll for The Times. Following her remarks alleging First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was an "attention seeker", her lead had narrowed from more than 20 points to just five. Denouncing her remarks, the Scottish National Party (SNP) said it will continue to press for a second referendum on independence. Calling her comments "obnoxious", Sturgeon's deputy as the first minister of Scotland, John Swinney told BBC television "Nicola Sturgeon has far more democratic legitimacy than Liz Truss is going to have if she becomes the prime minister." × Even though Scots voted narrowly in 2014 to stay in the UK, the SNP wants to hold a second plebiscite in October 2023. In a bid to turn a page on the Johnson government and address Britons' economic fears, both Truss and Sunak have been issuing daily pledges of policy changes and have also been trying to curry favour with right-wingers in the Tory rank and file. As part of a plan to wage "war on Whitehall waste", Truss outlined the creation of "regional pay boards" outside London for public-sector pay. According to her campaign, the plan could save £8.8 billion ($10.75 billion) a year if it covered "all public-sector workers in the long term". Noting that all state workers would include health care and government employees, Tories in more deprived regions of England criticised the idea. Insisting in an apparent U-turn that there was no plot to slash the pay of any public-sector workers, a Truss campaign spokesperson alleged Tuesday the plan had been subject to "wilful misrepresentation". (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Polls show Liz Truss favourite to become Britain's next prime minister

Amid the heated political climate of the UK and the impending question of who will succeed Boris Johnson, broadcaster Channel 4 has made an announcement that they are planning a documentary series on the former UK Prime Minister. The series will be a four-part show, titled 'Boris'. Each episode of the docuseries will be an hour long. No release date has been announced yet.&nbsp;

The show would show " a combination of rare archive footage and with access to those with intimate knowledge of Johnson over the years… will hear from both his friends and enemies to reveal his true persona," Channel 4 said, reported Variety.&nbsp;

The series will explore Johnson's political journey from defeating former Prime Minister David Cameron to how the political clash and rivalry began in the office, him campaigning for the student presidential elections at Oxford and his rise to the most powerful position of Prime Minister from the Mayor of London.

According to Variety, Ian Katz, the chief content officer of Channel 4, said in a statement, "However the story of Boris Johnson’s political career ends, he has done more to change Britain and the nature of our politics than any other recent political figure."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/kid-cudi-to-replace-kanye-west-as-headliner-of-rolling-loud-miami-498393">Kid Cudi to replace Kanye West as headliner of Rolling Loud Miami</a>

"This landmark series will try answer the question of what shaped the boy who wanted to be king of the world and how he grew to believe that he could escape the laws of political gravity," he added.&nbsp;

The upcoming documentary has been commissioned by Channel 4's head of factual entertainment, Alf Lawrie, and factual entertainment editor, Tim Hancock, and is a 72 Films production that also produced 'The Trump Show'.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the television network Sky will air Michael Winterbottom's drama series ‘This England," in which Kenneth Branagh plays Johnson. The series will premiere this fall.&nbsp;

Following the resignation of his own ministers, Johnson resigned as the head of the Conservative Party. He is scheduled to step down as prime minister in the autumn.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/kajol-to-make-series-debut-with-disney-hotstar-498386">Kajol to make series debut with Disney+ Hotstar</a>

Amid the heated political climate of the UK and the impending question of who will succeed Boris Johnson, broadcaster Channel 4 has made an announcement that they are planning a documentary series on the former UK Prime Minister.

Amid the heated political climate of the UK and the impending question of who will succeed Boris Johnson, broadcaster Channel 4 has made an announcement that they are planning a documentary series on the former UK Prime Minister. The series will be a four-part show, titled 'Boris'. Each episode of the docuseries will be an hour long. No release date has been announced yet. The show would show " a combination of rare archive footage and with access to those with intimate knowledge of Johnson over the years… will hear from both his friends and enemies to reveal his true persona," Channel 4 said, reported Variety. The series will explore Johnson's political journey from defeating former Prime Minister David Cameron to how the political clash and rivalry began in the office, him campaigning for the student presidential elections at Oxford and his rise to the most powerful position of Prime Minister from the Mayor of London. According to Variety, Ian Katz, the chief content officer of Channel 4, said in a statement, "However the story of Boris Johnson’s political career ends, he has done more to change Britain and the nature of our politics than any other recent political figure." Also Read: Kid Cudi to replace Kanye West as headliner of Rolling Loud Miami "This landmark series will try answer the question of what shaped the boy who wanted to be king of the world and how he grew to believe that he could escape the laws of political gravity," he added. The upcoming documentary has been commissioned by Channel 4's head of factual entertainment, Alf Lawrie, and factual entertainment editor, Tim Hancock, and is a 72 Films production that also produced 'The Trump Show'. Meanwhile, the television network Sky will air Michael Winterbottom's drama series ‘This England," in which Kenneth Branagh plays Johnson. The series will premiere this fall. Following the resignation of his own ministers, Johnson resigned as the head of the Conservative Party. He is scheduled to step down as prime minister in the autumn. Also Read: Kajol to make series debut with Disney+ Hotstar

Channel 4 announces docuseries on Boris Johnson

A British conservative lawmaker who was recently convicted of sexually abusing a teenager back in 2008 has now resigned as a member of Parliament.

Imran Ahmad Khan’s resignation has triggered a by-election that could very well be a test of UK PM Boris Johnson’s popularity.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-conservative-lawmaker-removed-from-party-after-being-found-guilty-of-sexually-assaulting-a-minor-470405">British conservative lawmaker removed from party after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a minor</a>

Khan, 48 who represents Northern England’s Wakefield area said he was quitting to "focus entirely on clearing my name".

A court on Monday found the politician guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year old boy. Following his conviction, Khan was thrown out of the conservative party and there were calls for his resignation from the parliament.

The MP has continuously denied the allegations and plans to appeal the conviction.

In a statement posted on Twitter, he said that his constituents have already been without any parliamentary representation for a year due to severe delays in the legal process.

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<a href="https://t.co/RBtTJjGFVT">pic.twitter.com/RBtTJjGFVT</a>
— Imran Ahmad Khan (@imranahmadkhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/imranahmadkhan/status/1514636887792697344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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"Even in the best-case scenario," he continued, "anticipated legal proceedings could last many months."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak "broke the law"

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As per the unnamed victim, the encounter with Khan left him feeling "scared, vulnerable and numb."

By the complainant’s account Khan applied "slow caressing" to his legs; however, the MP, on the other hand, claims that he simply touched the teen's elbow after he became emotional during a discussion about his "confused sexuality."

Khan won the Wakefield seat in a landslide victory for the Conservatives in 2019, the by-election triggered by his retirement will be a litmus test for the party's chances of retaining the so-called "Red Wall" seats in former Labour strongholds.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-mp-imran-khan-sexually-assaulted-a-man-in-his-sleep-in-pakistan-468559">British MP Imran Khan sexually assaulted a man in his sleep in Pakistan</a>

This comes at a time when PM Johnson himself faces calls to resign due to the controversial ‘partygate’ scandal. He was on Tuesday fined by the authorities for attending a gathering for his birthday in June 2020. This was at a time when not the just UK but the whole global community was battling the Covid pandemic and facing innumerable lockdowns and other restrictions.

(With inputs from agencies)

A British conservative lawmaker who was recently convicted of sexually abusing a teenager back in 2008 has now resigned as a member of Parliament. Imran Ahmad Khan’s resignation has triggered a by-election that could very well be a test of UK PM Boris Johnson’s popularity.

A British conservative lawmaker who was recently convicted of sexually abusing a teenager back in 2008 has now resigned as a member of Parliament. Imran Ahmad Khan’s resignation has triggered a by-election that could very well be a test of UK PM Boris Johnson’s popularity. Also read | British conservative lawmaker removed from party after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a minor Khan, 48 who represents Northern England’s Wakefield area said he was quitting to "focus entirely on clearing my name". A court on Monday found the politician guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year old boy. Following his conviction, Khan was thrown out of the conservative party and there were calls for his resignation from the parliament. The MP has continuously denied the allegations and plans to appeal the conviction. In a statement posted on Twitter, he said that his constituents have already been without any parliamentary representation for a year due to severe delays in the legal process. pic.twitter.com/RBtTJjGFVT — Imran Ahmad Khan (@imranahmadkhan) April 14, 2022 × "Even in the best-case scenario," he continued, "anticipated legal proceedings could last many months." Watch | Gravitas: Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak "broke the law" As per the unnamed victim, the encounter with Khan left him feeling "scared, vulnerable and numb." By the complainant’s account Khan applied "slow caressing" to his legs; however, the MP, on the other hand, claims that he simply touched the teen's elbow after he became emotional during a discussion about his "confused sexuality." Khan won the Wakefield seat in a landslide victory for the Conservatives in 2019, the by-election triggered by his retirement will be a litmus test for the party's chances of retaining the so-called "Red Wall" seats in former Labour strongholds. Also read | British MP Imran Khan sexually assaulted a man in his sleep in Pakistan This comes at a time when PM Johnson himself faces calls to resign due to the controversial ‘partygate’ scandal. He was on Tuesday fined by the authorities for attending a gathering for his birthday in June 2020. This was at a time when not the just UK but the whole global community was battling the Covid pandemic and facing innumerable lockdowns and other restrictions. (With inputs from agencies)

UK MP convicted of sexual assault against teen quits to focus on clearing his name; triggers by-elections

Imran Ahmad Khan, a Conservative MP from the United Kingdom, was found guilty on Monday of sexually abusing a 15-year-old child at a party in 2008 after forcing him to drink an alcoholic beverage.

The teen was pulled upstairs and forced onto a bed by Imran Ahmad Khan, 47, who represents the northern English city of Wakefield.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-mp-imran-khan-sexually-assaulted-a-man-in-his-sleep-in-pakistan-468559">British MP Imran Khan sexually assaulted a man in his sleep in Pakistan</a>

Khan slowly caressed&nbsp;his legs, the anonymous victim told the court, leaving him feeling "scared, vulnerable, and numb," however, Khan denied the allegation and as per a BBC report he is planning on appealing to the convinction.

As per Khan he simply touched the teen's elbow because he was disturbed during a chat about his confused sexuality.

The complainant, now 29 years old, initially declined to register a complaint, but when Khan was elected to parliament in 2019, he took up the case.

Watch | Gravitas: Sexual abuse 'normalised' in UK schools

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He also claimed that he approached the Conservative Party press office days before Khan's election to inform them of what had happened, but that he&nbsp;"wasn't taken very seriously."

"In subsequent interviews with the police he was able to tell investigators more about what had taken place and I am pleased that the jury have accepted the victim’s compelling evidence about the offence committed by Khan,"&nbsp;said Rosemary Ainslie of the Crown Prosecution Service in the United Kingdom.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sadists-rapists-russian-forces-using-rape-as-punishing-tactic-in-ukraine-un-womens-body-voices-concern-470378" hreflang="en">'Sadists, rapists': Russian forces using rape as punishing tactic in Ukraine, UN women's body voices concern</a>

Imran Ahmad Khan's sentence will be decided at a later time, however, he&nbsp;has been&nbsp;suspended from the Conservative Party, and a spokesman for the party announced on Monday that he had been removed "with immediate effect."

As anyone who receives a jail sentence of more than 12 months is immediately barred from being a member of parliament, his conviction might provoke an election for his parliamentary seat.

(With inputs from agencies)

Imran Ahmad Khan, a Conservative MP from the United Kingdom, was found guilty on Monday of sexually abusing a 15-year-old child at a party in 2008 after forcing him to drink an alcoholic beverage.

Imran Ahmad Khan, a Conservative MP from the United Kingdom, was found guilty on Monday of sexually abusing a 15-year-old child at a party in 2008 after forcing him to drink an alcoholic beverage. The teen was pulled upstairs and forced onto a bed by Imran Ahmad Khan, 47, who represents the northern English city of Wakefield. Also read | British MP Imran Khan sexually assaulted a man in his sleep in Pakistan Khan slowly caressed his legs, the anonymous victim told the court, leaving him feeling "scared, vulnerable, and numb," however, Khan denied the allegation and as per a BBC report he is planning on appealing to the convinction. As per Khan he simply touched the teen's elbow because he was disturbed during a chat about his confused sexuality. The complainant, now 29 years old, initially declined to register a complaint, but when Khan was elected to parliament in 2019, he took up the case. Watch | Gravitas: Sexual abuse 'normalised' in UK schools He also claimed that he approached the Conservative Party press office days before Khan's election to inform them of what had happened, but that he "wasn't taken very seriously." "In subsequent interviews with the police he was able to tell investigators more about what had taken place and I am pleased that the jury have accepted the victim’s compelling evidence about the offence committed by Khan," said Rosemary Ainslie of the Crown Prosecution Service in the United Kingdom. Also read | 'Sadists, rapists': Russian forces using rape as punishing tactic in Ukraine, UN women's body voices concern Imran Ahmad Khan's sentence will be decided at a later time, however, he has been suspended from the Conservative Party, and a spokesman for the party announced on Monday that he had been removed "with immediate effect." As anyone who receives a jail sentence of more than 12 months is immediately barred from being a member of parliament, his conviction might provoke an election for his parliamentary seat. (With inputs from agencies)

British conservative lawmaker removed from party after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a minor

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday thanked the voters for the landslide victory in the general election, securing Britain's exit from the European Union on January 31.

During his speech at Downing Street at London, Johnson thanked the voters "for the trust"&nbsp;placed in his party.&nbsp;

"We have a strong mandate for Brexit," he said while calling on Britain&nbsp;move on from Brexit.

"I urge everyone to find closure and let the healing begin," he said.

Johnson's Conservative party has won 365 of 650 seats in parliament, giving it a majority of 80, final results of the general election&nbsp;showed.

The main opposition Labour party won 203 of the remaining seats, while the Scottish National Party was third on 48. The anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats won 11 seats. Other parties took 23.

Brexit represents the country's biggest political and economic gamble since World War Two, cutting the world's fifth-largest economy adrift from the vast trading bloc and threatening the integrity of the United Kingdom.

For Johnson, who campaigned on a vow to "Get Brexit Done", victory was a vindication after anti-Brexit opponents tried one manoeuvre after another to thwart him during his first chaotic months in office.

"We will get&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-boris-johnsons-election-gamble-paid-off-268083">Brexit done on time by the 31st of January,</a>&nbsp;no ifs, no buts, no maybes," a triumphant Johnson told supporters at a rally in London.

"Leaving the European Union as one United Kingdom, taking back control of our laws, borders, money, our trade, immigration system, delivering on the democratic mandate of the people," he said, reprising the refrains of his successful Brexit referendum campaign of 2016.

(With inputs from agencies)

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday thanked the voters for the landslide victory in the general election, securing Britain's exit from the European Union on January 31.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday thanked the voters for the landslide victory in the general election, securing Britain's exit from the European Union on January 31. During his speech at Downing Street at London, Johnson thanked the voters "for the trust" placed in his party. "We have a strong mandate for Brexit," he said while calling on Britain move on from Brexit. "I urge everyone to find closure and let the healing begin," he said. Johnson's Conservative party has won 365 of 650 seats in parliament, giving it a majority of 80, final results of the general election showed. The main opposition Labour party won 203 of the remaining seats, while the Scottish National Party was third on 48. The anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats won 11 seats. Other parties took 23. Brexit represents the country's biggest political and economic gamble since World War Two, cutting the world's fifth-largest economy adrift from the vast trading bloc and threatening the integrity of the United Kingdom. For Johnson, who campaigned on a vow to "Get Brexit Done", victory was a vindication after anti-Brexit opponents tried one manoeuvre after another to thwart him during his first chaotic months in office. "We will get Brexit done on time by the 31st of January, no ifs, no buts, no maybes," a triumphant Johnson told supporters at a rally in London. "Leaving the European Union as one United Kingdom, taking back control of our laws, borders, money, our trade, immigration system, delivering on the democratic mandate of the people," he said, reprising the refrains of his successful Brexit referendum campaign of 2016. (With inputs from agencies)

'We have strong mandate for Brexit,' UK PM Boris Johnson after landslide victory

The mantra of British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-will-leave-eu-on-january-31-no-ifs-no-buts-says-uk-prime-minister-johnson-amid-resounding-victory-268054">Boris Johnson</a> and his Conservative Party during the national election campaign was aimed at harnessing voter frustration at a parliamentary logjam over Britain’s exit from the European Union.

It worked.

Beyond the traditional strategy of swaying voters in swing districts held by the main opposition Labour Party, Johnson wanted to strike directly at Labour’s heartlands in the hopes of winning support from people who had never voted Conservative but for whom Brexit had come to trump even traditional party allegiances.

The Conservatives secured a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-and-us-free-to-strike-lucrative-trade-deal-after-brexit-trump-268038">sweeping victory</a>, winning more than 360 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons - the party's largest majority since under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. The result handed Johnson his first national election victory but also delivered a dramatic blow to his main competitor, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, whose Labour Party suffered heavy losses.

For 55-year old Johnson, who only entered Downing Street this summer after his Conservative predecessor resigned, calling an election had been a high-stakes gamble.

But he also considered it a necessity to convert his party’s minority in the House of Commons into a majority and move his government’s agenda forward. Notably, that includes Britain – the world’s fifth-largest economy - exiting the European Union by the end of January, which would mark the country’s most significant trade and foreign policy move since World War Two.

The five-week campaign also saw Johnson facing questions about his personal trustworthiness after his repeated failed promises during the year to deliver Brexit by the end of October “do or die.”

He faced allegations of failing to disclose close personal ties with a U.S. businesswoman who had received thousands of pounds in public business funding while he had been mayor. Jennifer Arcuri publicly said during the campaign she had had “a very special relationship” with Johnson, who has denied any impropriety. A government audit report ruled that a ministerial department’s decision to award a 100,000 pound ($128,000) grant to a company run by Arcuri was appropriate.

The plan early in the campaign was to target around 40 traditionally Labour-supporting seats in northern and central England, a party source close to the campaign said. Johnson launched the Conservative campaign battle bus in Middleton in northwest England, in a district with a slim Labour majority but which saw 62% of voters back Brexit in 2016.

"The strategy is to woo Brexit Party supporters of all colours and to specifically court Labour leave voters especially in the North and Midlands,” said the source, speaking on Oct. 29, the day the House of Commons approved an early election.

"The themes are people versus parliament, let's get Brexit done and move on, and a very merry Brexit to everyone."

Exit polls Thursday evening suggesting a major victory for Johnson caught some in the Conservative camp off guard. “I was stunned,” said one member of Johnson's campaign team, who described the sense of relief that the campaign strategy to keep on message had worked.

As the results of the election rolled in early Friday, it became clear that the Conservatives had succeeded in scooping up seats in districts that had voted Labour for generations, including places like Bishop Auckland and Sedgefield, the seat held by former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair. However, Johnson’s party had lost seats in some more pro-EU constituencies, such as Putney in London.

"This election means that getting Brexit down is now the irrefutable, irresistible, unarguable decision of the British people," said an ebullient Johnson on Friday morning.

He also addressed those who had voted Conservative for the first time by saying "you may only have lent us your vote" and "you may intend to return to Labour next time round." He added: "I and we will never take your support for granted."

Core message

His often-ruffled appearance, including a distinctive mop of blonde hair, marks a contrast to the discipline and ruthlessness he displayed to get to this point.

Johnson – full name is Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson – took office in July after winning a Conservative Party leadership contest triggered by the resignation of former Prime Minister Theresa May. She had failed to win backing by parliament for a Brexit divorce agreement she had negotiated with the EU.

The new prime minister and his team concluded early on that the only way to change the arithmetic in the House of Commons was to force a new election. But he needed a united front – no easy feat for a party where the issue of Europe has caused infighting and played a role in the downfall of the previous four Conservative prime ministers.

During his first weeks in office he oversaw one of the biggest purges of cabinet ministers in modern British history and expelled from his party 21 Conservative lawmakers who had voted against the prime minister on Brexit, including the grandson of Winston Churchill.

“We weren’t bluffing, and they were wilfully ignorant if they thought differently,” said a senior prime ministerial aide at the time, referring to a message from Johnson to lawmakers that he expected loyalty.

The election campaign officially started in early November and Johnson sought to convince voters that his party was the only one which could break the impasse among politicians in Westminster to enable the country to move forward.

The campaign focused heavily on core Brexit-related messages and was relatively light on policy detail, several members of his campaign team said. "The whole point of this campaign was to keep it tight and focused," said one of his team. "It's all about the messaging."

Team Johnson received a boost when the Brexit Party led by veteran eurosceptic Nigel Farage early on in the campaign said his candidates would not fight for 317 Conservative-held seats to avoid splitting the Leave vote.

Labour, meanwhile, pursued a compromise position on Brexit.

In an effort to unite his party, which was also divided over Europe, Labour’s leader Corbyn settled on a policy of negotiating a new deal to leave the EU followed by a second referendum – a stance that was unpopular with the party’s Brexit voters and even some in his own team.

He instead sought to focus the campaign agenda on a manifesto that included widespread nationalization and spending on public services such as the National Health Service, which the Labour Party established in 1948 and provides health care to all free at the point of delivery.

'Fairy tale'

Johnson’s pitch included a pledge to lower immigration and that Brexit would free up money that Britain would otherwise pay to the EU that could be redirected to spending on public services, including the NHS, at home.

One pledge was to add 50,000 more nurses but, under scrutiny from the opposition and media, the prime minister acknowledged that 19,000 were already working in the NHS, adding that his policies would retain those workers that might otherwise leave.

During an Oct. 13 visit to the northern town of Doncaster, a female member of the public accused him of peddling fiction by promising a rosy future for Britain outside of the EU and being part of a government that had made cuts to public services.

“You've got the cheek to come here and tell us that austerity's over and it's all good now - we're gonna leave the EU and everything's going to be great," the woman told the prime minister during a visit to Doncaster. "It's just a fairy tale."

His responded by saying his government was investing in the area.

Some voters said they planned to support him even if lack of trust was a factor.

"It's tough to believe what they're saying after the time that we've had recently," said Tim Turner, 41, operations director at knitwear manufacturer John Smedley, during a visit by Johnson to a company mill in Derbyshire in central England on Dec. 5, questioning his assertion over the 50,000 nurses.

"I think he's got the best chance, but whether I believe him or not is a different matter," he said. Turner said he had voted before for other parties, including Labour, but would vote for Johnson in this election.

Johnson has repeatedly said that any breach of trust should be blamed on parliament, not him. “The issue before the country is after three and a half years politicians of all parties are held in low esteem because they have refused to get on and deliver on the mandate of the people,” he said on the campaign trail.

Potential liability

Conservative strategists considered Johnson’s personal popularity and proven ability to reach across party lines a key election asset. The charismatic politician helped lead the successful Brexit campaign in the 2016 referendum and is the only Conservative to have been London mayor.

By contrast, recent polls have ranked Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn the least popular opposition leader in decades.

But Johnson’s team were also aware the prime minister, known for his often-colourful turn of phrase and a tendency to go off-script, was a potential liability. On the campaign trail, his team sought to minimise the risk of unflattering encounters with members of the public and with some television interviewers, according to a campaign source.

Many of his interactions with voters were in Conservative-held seats, while in traditional Labour districts the prime minister often visited businesses with sympathetic bosses or organised rallies in venues where attendees could be screened.

In the final days of the campaign, Johnson crisscrossed districts in the north and central England, regions where Labour has traditionally had strong support.

At a factory of British construction equipment maker JCB near Uttoxeter in central England on Tuesday, Johnson drove a digger emblazoned with “get Brexit done” through a makeshift wall emblazoned with the word “GRIDLOCK.”

The mantra of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party during the national election campaign was aimed at harnessing voter frustration at a parliamentary logjam over Britain’s exit from the European Union.

The mantra of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party during the national election campaign was aimed at harnessing voter frustration at a parliamentary logjam over Britain’s exit from the European Union. It worked. Beyond the traditional strategy of swaying voters in swing districts held by the main opposition Labour Party, Johnson wanted to strike directly at Labour’s heartlands in the hopes of winning support from people who had never voted Conservative but for whom Brexit had come to trump even traditional party allegiances. The Conservatives secured a sweeping victory, winning more than 360 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons - the party's largest majority since under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. The result handed Johnson his first national election victory but also delivered a dramatic blow to his main competitor, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, whose Labour Party suffered heavy losses. For 55-year old Johnson, who only entered Downing Street this summer after his Conservative predecessor resigned, calling an election had been a high-stakes gamble. But he also considered it a necessity to convert his party’s minority in the House of Commons into a majority and move his government’s agenda forward. Notably, that includes Britain – the world’s fifth-largest economy - exiting the European Union by the end of January, which would mark the country’s most significant trade and foreign policy move since World War Two. The five-week campaign also saw Johnson facing questions about his personal trustworthiness after his repeated failed promises during the year to deliver Brexit by the end of October “do or die.” He faced allegations of failing to disclose close personal ties with a U.S. businesswoman who had received thousands of pounds in public business funding while he had been mayor. Jennifer Arcuri publicly said during the campaign she had had “a very special relationship” with Johnson, who has denied any impropriety. A government audit report ruled that a ministerial department’s decision to award a 100,000 pound ($128,000) grant to a company run by Arcuri was appropriate. The plan early in the campaign was to target around 40 traditionally Labour-supporting seats in northern and central England, a party source close to the campaign said. Johnson launched the Conservative campaign battle bus in Middleton in northwest England, in a district with a slim Labour majority but which saw 62% of voters back Brexit in 2016. "The strategy is to woo Brexit Party supporters of all colours and to specifically court Labour leave voters especially in the North and Midlands,” said the source, speaking on Oct. 29, the day the House of Commons approved an early election. "The themes are people versus parliament, let's get Brexit done and move on, and a very merry Brexit to everyone." Exit polls Thursday evening suggesting a major victory for Johnson caught some in the Conservative camp off guard. “I was stunned,” said one member of Johnson's campaign team, who described the sense of relief that the campaign strategy to keep on message had worked. As the results of the election rolled in early Friday, it became clear that the Conservatives had succeeded in scooping up seats in districts that had voted Labour for generations, including places like Bishop Auckland and Sedgefield, the seat held by former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair. However, Johnson’s party had lost seats in some more pro-EU constituencies, such as Putney in London. "This election means that getting Brexit down is now the irrefutable, irresistible, unarguable decision of the British people," said an ebullient Johnson on Friday morning. He also addressed those who had voted Conservative for the first time by saying "you may only have lent us your vote" and "you may intend to return to Labour next time round." He added: "I and we will never take your support for granted." Core message His often-ruffled appearance, including a distinctive mop of blonde hair, marks a contrast to the discipline and ruthlessness he displayed to get to this point. Johnson – full name is Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson – took office in July after winning a Conservative Party leadership contest triggered by the resignation of former Prime Minister Theresa May. She had failed to win backing by parliament for a Brexit divorce agreement she had negotiated with the EU. The new prime minister and his team concluded early on that the only way to change the arithmetic in the House of Commons was to force a new election. But he needed a united front – no easy feat for a party where the issue of Europe has caused infighting and played a role in the downfall of the previous four Conservative prime ministers. During his first weeks in office he oversaw one of the biggest purges of cabinet ministers in modern British history and expelled from his party 21 Conservative lawmakers who had voted against the prime minister on Brexit, including the grandson of Winston Churchill. “We weren’t bluffing, and they were wilfully ignorant if they thought differently,” said a senior prime ministerial aide at the time, referring to a message from Johnson to lawmakers that he expected loyalty. The election campaign officially started in early November and Johnson sought to convince voters that his party was the only one which could break the impasse among politicians in Westminster to enable the country to move forward. The campaign focused heavily on core Brexit-related messages and was relatively light on policy detail, several members of his campaign team said. "The whole point of this campaign was to keep it tight and focused," said one of his team. "It's all about the messaging." Team Johnson received a boost when the Brexit Party led by veteran eurosceptic Nigel Farage early on in the campaign said his candidates would not fight for 317 Conservative-held seats to avoid splitting the Leave vote. Labour, meanwhile, pursued a compromise position on Brexit. In an effort to unite his party, which was also divided over Europe, Labour’s leader Corbyn settled on a policy of negotiating a new deal to leave the EU followed by a second referendum – a stance that was unpopular with the party’s Brexit voters and even some in his own team. He instead sought to focus the campaign agenda on a manifesto that included widespread nationalization and spending on public services such as the National Health Service, which the Labour Party established in 1948 and provides health care to all free at the point of delivery. 'Fairy tale' Johnson’s pitch included a pledge to lower immigration and that Brexit would free up money that Britain would otherwise pay to the EU that could be redirected to spending on public services, including the NHS, at home. One pledge was to add 50,000 more nurses but, under scrutiny from the opposition and media, the prime minister acknowledged that 19,000 were already working in the NHS, adding that his policies would retain those workers that might otherwise leave. During an Oct. 13 visit to the northern town of Doncaster, a female member of the public accused him of peddling fiction by promising a rosy future for Britain outside of the EU and being part of a government that had made cuts to public services. “You've got the cheek to come here and tell us that austerity's over and it's all good now - we're gonna leave the EU and everything's going to be great," the woman told the prime minister during a visit to Doncaster. "It's just a fairy tale." His responded by saying his government was investing in the area. Some voters said they planned to support him even if lack of trust was a factor. "It's tough to believe what they're saying after the time that we've had recently," said Tim Turner, 41, operations director at knitwear manufacturer John Smedley, during a visit by Johnson to a company mill in Derbyshire in central England on Dec. 5, questioning his assertion over the 50,000 nurses. "I think he's got the best chance, but whether I believe him or not is a different matter," he said. Turner said he had voted before for other parties, including Labour, but would vote for Johnson in this election. Johnson has repeatedly said that any breach of trust should be blamed on parliament, not him. “The issue before the country is after three and a half years politicians of all parties are held in low esteem because they have refused to get on and deliver on the mandate of the people,” he said on the campaign trail. Potential liability Conservative strategists considered Johnson’s personal popularity and proven ability to reach across party lines a key election asset. The charismatic politician helped lead the successful Brexit campaign in the 2016 referendum and is the only Conservative to have been London mayor. By contrast, recent polls have ranked Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn the least popular opposition leader in decades. But Johnson’s team were also aware the prime minister, known for his often-colourful turn of phrase and a tendency to go off-script, was a potential liability. On the campaign trail, his team sought to minimise the risk of unflattering encounters with members of the public and with some television interviewers, according to a campaign source. Many of his interactions with voters were in Conservative-held seats, while in traditional Labour districts the prime minister often visited businesses with sympathetic bosses or organised rallies in venues where attendees could be screened. In the final days of the campaign, Johnson crisscrossed districts in the north and central England, regions where Labour has traditionally had strong support. At a factory of British construction equipment maker JCB near Uttoxeter in central England on Tuesday, Johnson drove a digger emblazoned with “get Brexit done” through a makeshift wall emblazoned with the word “GRIDLOCK.”

How Boris Johnson's election gamble paid off

To decide the future of Brexit, voters&nbsp;across the United Kingdom went&nbsp;to the polls on Thursday to cast their vote in the third general&nbsp;election in less than five-years.

Soon after the polls were opened, large queues were formed outside the polling venues. Interestingly among the voters, large numbers of young voters were seen standing in the queues to vote for their leader despite the freezing weather.

According to a report by UK daily,&nbsp;almost a third of people who registered to vote are under 25. It is expected that&nbsp;young voters could play a critical role in this general election.

People also took micro-blogging site Twitter to express their surprise over the long queues.

"I've been living in Balham, London for 6 years, I have never seen a queue like this at my polling station," Aidan Conway wrote on Twitter.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/BBCNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BBCNews</a> I've been living in Balham, London for 6 years, I have never seen a queue like this at my polling station. <a href="https://t.co/JCjVdeGruo">pic.twitter.com/JCjVdeGruo</a>
— Aidan Cönway (@onzlo99) <a href="https://twitter.com/onzlo99/status/1205034419968446464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"First time in 20 years that I've seen a queue at my polling station," Sue Christoforou tweeted.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
First time in 20 years that I’ve seen a queue at my polling station. <a href="https://t.co/PddeJ12i19">pic.twitter.com/PddeJ12i19</a>
— Sue Christoforou (@SueChristoforou) <a href="https://twitter.com/SueChristoforou/status/1205039591197233152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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Another voter tweeted "Massive queues, feeling hopeful. Could be Brexiters but a lot of those queues seem to be young voters."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Massive queues, feeling hopeful. Could be Brexiters but a lot of those queues seem to be young voters <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GeneralElection2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GeneralElection2019</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YouthQuake?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YouthQuake</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TimeForChange?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TimeForChange</a> <a href="https://t.co/o2ApPx9a2w">pic.twitter.com/o2ApPx9a2w</a>
— Francesca (@Francescax456) <a href="https://twitter.com/Francescax456/status/1205078625659297792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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In the past, long queues have been a rare sight in general elections in the UK.&nbsp;

UK daily The&nbsp;Guardian reported citing a research that, "Only 2% of poll workers reported a problem with queues at the 2018 and 2019 local elections, while 6% reported problems at the 2015 general election."

Meanwhile, people on social media as well encouraged registered voters to vote for their leaders.

Voters went to the polls on Thursday in an election that will pave the way for Brexit under Prime Minister Boris Johnson or propel Britain towards another referendum that could ultimately reverse the decision to leave the European Union.

After failing to deliver Brexit by an Oct. 31 deadline, Johnson called the election to break what he cast as political paralysis that had thwarted Britain's departure and sapped confidence in the economy.

The face of the "Leave" campaign in the 2016 referendum, 55-year-old Johnson fought the election under the slogan of "Get Brexit Done", promising to end the deadlock and spend more on health, education and the police.

His main opponent, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, 70, promised higher public spending, nationalisation of key services, taxes on the wealthy and another referendum on Brexit.

Polls opened at 0700 GMT and will close at 2200 GMT when an exit poll will give the first indications of the result. Official results from the bulk of the United Kingdom's 650 constituencies begin to come in from 2300 GMT to 0500 GMT.

(With inputs from agencies)

 
&nbsp;

To decide the future of Brexit, voters across the United Kingdom went to the polls on Thursday to cast their vote in the third general election in less than five-years.

To decide the future of Brexit, voters across the United Kingdom went to the polls on Thursday to cast their vote in the third general election in less than five-years. Soon after the polls were opened, large queues were formed outside the polling venues. Interestingly among the voters, large numbers of young voters were seen standing in the queues to vote for their leader despite the freezing weather. According to a report by UK daily, almost a third of people who registered to vote are under 25. It is expected that young voters could play a critical role in this general election. People also took micro-blogging site Twitter to express their surprise over the long queues. "I've been living in Balham, London for 6 years, I have never seen a queue like this at my polling station," Aidan Conway wrote on Twitter. @BBCNews I've been living in Balham, London for 6 years, I have never seen a queue like this at my polling station. pic.twitter.com/JCjVdeGruo — Aidan Cönway (@onzlo99) December 12, 2019 × "First time in 20 years that I've seen a queue at my polling station," Sue Christoforou tweeted. First time in 20 years that I’ve seen a queue at my polling station. pic.twitter.com/PddeJ12i19 — Sue Christoforou (@SueChristoforou) December 12, 2019 × Another voter tweeted "Massive queues, feeling hopeful. Could be Brexiters but a lot of those queues seem to be young voters." Massive queues, feeling hopeful. Could be Brexiters but a lot of those queues seem to be young voters #GeneralElection2019 #YouthQuake #TimeForChange pic.twitter.com/o2ApPx9a2w — Francesca (@Francescax456) December 12, 2019 × In the past, long queues have been a rare sight in general elections in the UK. UK daily The Guardian reported citing a research that, "Only 2% of poll workers reported a problem with queues at the 2018 and 2019 local elections, while 6% reported problems at the 2015 general election." Meanwhile, people on social media as well encouraged registered voters to vote for their leaders. Voters went to the polls on Thursday in an election that will pave the way for Brexit under Prime Minister Boris Johnson or propel Britain towards another referendum that could ultimately reverse the decision to leave the European Union. After failing to deliver Brexit by an Oct. 31 deadline, Johnson called the election to break what he cast as political paralysis that had thwarted Britain's departure and sapped confidence in the economy. The face of the "Leave" campaign in the 2016 referendum, 55-year-old Johnson fought the election under the slogan of "Get Brexit Done", promising to end the deadlock and spend more on health, education and the police. His main opponent, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, 70, promised higher public spending, nationalisation of key services, taxes on the wealthy and another referendum on Brexit. Polls opened at 0700 GMT and will close at 2200 GMT when an exit poll will give the first indications of the result. Official results from the bulk of the United Kingdom's 650 constituencies begin to come in from 2300 GMT to 0500 GMT. (With inputs from agencies)

UK general election 2019: Young voters throng polling booths as Brexit dominates

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is heading into Britain's election next week with a lead in opinion polls, but some of the surveys also suggest that his chance of winning a parliamentary majority could be too close to call.

Four opinion polls published on Saturday put the lead of Johnson's Conservative Party over the main opposition Labour Party at between eight and 15 points, five days before the December&nbsp;12 national election.

At the lowest end of that range, Johnson cannot count on winning the majority in parliament he needs to take Britain out of the European Union by Jan. 31, especially if voters choose to put aside their usual allegiances to vote tactically over Brexit.

Polling firm Savanta ComRes said Johnson's lead over Labour had shrunk to eight points from 10 in a previous poll published on Wednesday - the tightest margin of Saturday's four surveys.

Its head of politics, Chris Hopkins, said the final few days of the campaign could be crucial.

"The margins are incredibly tight," he said. "The Conservative lead over Labour dropping or increasing by one or two points could be the difference between a hung parliament and a sizeable Conservative majority."

The election pits Johnson's plan to get Brexit done next month against Labour's call for a second referendum on a new Brexit deal under its veteran socialist leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Opinion pollsters were embarrassed by Britain's last election in 2017, when they under-estimated the size of Labour's support which cost previous prime minister Theresa May her majority and threw Brexit into chaos.

They also failed to predict the victory of the Leave campaign in the 2016 EU membership referendum.

However, one poll, published before the 2017 election, by YouGov, was more accurate in predicting the number of seats won by each party.

Known as an MRP poll - an acronym for its Multilevel Regression and Post-stratification model - it predicted 93% of results in individual constituencies correctly.

The Sunday Times said a poll by Datapraxis, also using the MRP model and based on 500,000 online interviews, predicted that Johnson would win a majority of 38 in parliament next week, down from a projection of 48 two weeks ago.

"We have never seen as many undecided voters this late in the campaign," Datapraxis boss Paul Hilder said. "As many as 80-90 constituencies are still up for grabs. A much larger Conservative landslide is still possible - but so is a hung parliament."

YouGov said last month that its MRP model suggested the Conservatives were on course for a majority of 68. YouGov will publish an updated version of the poll on Tuesday.

Best for Britain, a group that wants a second referendum to stop Brexit, said an MRP poll it commissioned showed Johnson was on course to win 345 seats in parliament - or a majority of 40 - without tactical voting, a term for when people back parties they do not usually support in an attempt to defeat others.

But tactical voting by 41,000 voters in just 36 swing seats could prevent Johnson from getting a majority, it said.

"This election is on a knife-edge," the group's chief executive Naomi Smith said. "If enough remainers hold their nose and vote for the candidate with the best chance of stopping the Tories (Conservatives) in their seat we're heading for a hung parliament and a final say referendum."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is heading into Britain's election next week with a lead in opinion polls, but some of the surveys also suggest that his chance of winning a parliamentary majority could be too close to call.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is heading into Britain's election next week with a lead in opinion polls, but some of the surveys also suggest that his chance of winning a parliamentary majority could be too close to call. Four opinion polls published on Saturday put the lead of Johnson's Conservative Party over the main opposition Labour Party at between eight and 15 points, five days before the December 12 national election. At the lowest end of that range, Johnson cannot count on winning the majority in parliament he needs to take Britain out of the European Union by Jan. 31, especially if voters choose to put aside their usual allegiances to vote tactically over Brexit. Polling firm Savanta ComRes said Johnson's lead over Labour had shrunk to eight points from 10 in a previous poll published on Wednesday - the tightest margin of Saturday's four surveys. Its head of politics, Chris Hopkins, said the final few days of the campaign could be crucial. "The margins are incredibly tight," he said. "The Conservative lead over Labour dropping or increasing by one or two points could be the difference between a hung parliament and a sizeable Conservative majority." The election pits Johnson's plan to get Brexit done next month against Labour's call for a second referendum on a new Brexit deal under its veteran socialist leader Jeremy Corbyn. Opinion pollsters were embarrassed by Britain's last election in 2017, when they under-estimated the size of Labour's support which cost previous prime minister Theresa May her majority and threw Brexit into chaos. They also failed to predict the victory of the Leave campaign in the 2016 EU membership referendum. However, one poll, published before the 2017 election, by YouGov, was more accurate in predicting the number of seats won by each party. Known as an MRP poll - an acronym for its Multilevel Regression and Post-stratification model - it predicted 93% of results in individual constituencies correctly. The Sunday Times said a poll by Datapraxis, also using the MRP model and based on 500,000 online interviews, predicted that Johnson would win a majority of 38 in parliament next week, down from a projection of 48 two weeks ago. "We have never seen as many undecided voters this late in the campaign," Datapraxis boss Paul Hilder said. "As many as 80-90 constituencies are still up for grabs. A much larger Conservative landslide is still possible - but so is a hung parliament." YouGov said last month that its MRP model suggested the Conservatives were on course for a majority of 68. YouGov will publish an updated version of the poll on Tuesday. Best for Britain, a group that wants a second referendum to stop Brexit, said an MRP poll it commissioned showed Johnson was on course to win 345 seats in parliament - or a majority of 40 - without tactical voting, a term for when people back parties they do not usually support in an attempt to defeat others. But tactical voting by 41,000 voters in just 36 swing seats could prevent Johnson from getting a majority, it said. "This election is on a knife-edge," the group's chief executive Naomi Smith said. "If enough remainers hold their nose and vote for the candidate with the best chance of stopping the Tories (Conservatives) in their seat we're heading for a hung parliament and a final say referendum."

Knife-edge? UK's Johnson ahead but polls suggest majority might be tough

<p content="London (AFP) - The contest to replace Theresa May as Britain's next leader formally got under way on Monday, with frontrunner Boris Johnson facing criticism from Paris over his Brexit plan and a key rival struggling to throw off a drugs scandal." data-reactid="45" type="text">The contest to replace Theresa May as Britain's next leader formally got underway on Monday, with frontrunner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-kingdoms-pm-candidate-johnson-plans-tax-cuts-telegraph-225881">Boris Johnson</a> facing criticism from Paris over his Brexit plan and a key rival struggling to throw off a drugs scandal.

<p content="Eleven candidates have declared their interest in succeeding May, who quit as her Conservative party's leader on Friday over her failure to take Britain out of the EU on time." data-reactid="46" type="text">Eleven candidates have declared their interest in succeeding May, who quit as her Conservative party's leader on Friday over her failure to take Britain out of the EU on time. She remains prime minister until a new leader is chosen, likely in late July, and they will automatically enter Downing Street.

<p content="The race has been dominated by Britain's looming EU exit on October 31, with Johnson among those talking tough on the need to renegotiate the terms May struck or leave with no deal." data-reactid="48" type="text">The race has been dominated by Britain's looming EU exit on October 31, with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-wins-brexit-case-hounding-his-leadership-bid-225320">Johnson</a> among those talking tough on the need to renegotiate the terms May struck or leave with no deal.

<p content="But his vow to refuse to pay the multi-billion-euro financial settlement she has agreed, covering Britain's liabilities from four decades of EU membership, drew a sharp rebuke from Paris." data-reactid="49" type="text">But his vow to refuse to pay the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uks-boris-johnson-threatens-to-withhold-50-billion-brexit-payment-225603">multi-billion-euro financial settlement</a> she has agreed, covering Britain's liabilities from four decades of EU membership, drew a sharp rebuke from Paris.

<p content="&quot;Not honouring payment obligations is a breach of international commitment equivalent to a default on its sovereign debt, with the consequences that we know,&quot; a source close to French President Emmanuel Macron told AFP." data-reactid="50" type="text">"Not honouring payment obligations is a breach of international commitment equivalent to a default on its sovereign debt, with the consequences that we know," a source close to French President Emmanuel Macron told AFP.

<p content="Johnson is the bookmakers' favourite but has not appeared in public for weeks, a tactic that has helped the politician best known for his gaffes, jokes and anecdotes to stay on message." data-reactid="51" type="text">Johnson is the bookmakers' favourite but has not appeared in public for weeks, a tactic that has helped the politician best known for his gaffes, jokes and anecdotes to stay on message.

While his rivals have been touring the broadcast studios, he announced his latest campaign promise -- to slash income tax -- in his regular newspaper column.

<p content="By contrast, another leading candidate, Environment Secretary Michael Gove, spent the weekend apologising after revealing he had taken cocaine on several occasions two decades ago." data-reactid="53" type="text">By contrast, another leading candidate, Environment Secretary Michael Gove, spent the weekend apologising after revealing he had taken cocaine on several occasions two decades ago.

<p content="By contrast, another leading candidate, Environment Secretary Michael Gove, spent the weekend apologising after revealing he had taken cocaine on several occasions two decades ago." data-reactid="53" type="text">Serious times

May took over after the 2016 EU referendum but was forced to quit after failing three times to get her divorce deal through parliament, and twice delaying Brexit.

Johnson and Gove were both leading campaigners for Brexit in the referendum, but while the former quit the government over May's approach, Gove stayed on.

<p content="The pair have history -- Gove dramatically withdrew his backing for Johnson during the 2016 leadership campaign, only to falter himself, clearing the way for May." data-reactid="57" type="text">The pair have history -- Gove dramatically withdrew his backing for Johnson during the 2016 leadership campaign, only to falter himself, clearing the way for May.

<p content="The 51-year-old's campaign this time has been hit by the revelation in a forthcoming biography of his illegal use of cocaine, which he admitted but said was a mistake." data-reactid="58" type="text">The 51-year-old's campaign this time has been hit by the revelation in a forthcoming biography of his illegal use of cocaine, which he admitted but said was a mistake.

He suffered another blow on Monday when his cabinet colleague Amber Rudd, a moderate on Brexit, endorsed Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt for the leadership.

<p content="Gove has taken a softer line on Britain's EU departure than Johnson, suggesting he might delay Brexit once again to try to avoid a damaging &quot;no deal&quot; exit." data-reactid="60" type="text">Gove has taken a softer line on Britain's EU departure than Johnson, suggesting he might delay Brexit once again to try to avoid a damaging "no deal" exit.

Meanwhile, Hunt claimed at that weekend that he had received encouraging signals for renegotiating the Brexit deal from German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

<p content="In response, a German government spokeswoman referenced a previous remark by Merkel that the deal cannot be reopened, although a declaration on future ties could be." data-reactid="62" type="text">In response, a German government spokeswoman referenced a previous remark by Merkel that the deal cannot be reopened, although a declaration on future ties could be.

<p content="Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Interior Minister Sajid Javid, former Brexit minister Dominic Raab and Commons leader Andrea Leadsom are also in the running among several others." data-reactid="63" type="text">Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Interior Minister Sajid Javid, former Brexit minister Dominic Raab and Commons leader Andrea Leadsom are also in the running among several others.

<p content="Each must have the support of at least eight Conservative MPs to stand. In a series of secret ballots running from June 13 to 20, MPs will then whittle down the field to a final pair." data-reactid="64" type="text">Each must have the support of at least eight Conservative MPs to stand. In a series of secret ballots running from June 13 to 20, MPs will then whittle down the field to a final pair.

These two will then be chosen in a postal ballot by more than 160,000 paying party members.

<p content="Johnson emphasises his appeal across the political divide, a persuasive argument as there is a real risk of a general election if the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit remains." data-reactid="66" type="text">Johnson emphasises his appeal across the political divide, a persuasive argument as there is a real risk of a general election if the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit remains.

<p content="The Tories are under pressure from both leftist Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and populist Nigel Farage, whose new Brexit Party has been poaching disgruntled Tory voters." data-reactid="67" type="text">The Tories are under pressure from both leftist Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and populist Nigel Farage, whose new Brexit Party has been poaching disgruntled Tory voters.

<p content="But Johnson's bombastic rhetoric has alienated many colleagues and voters, he has been accused of lying during the Brexit campaign and his time as foreign minister was underwhelming." data-reactid="68" type="text">But Johnson's bombastic rhetoric has alienated many colleagues and voters, he has been accused of lying during the Brexit campaign and his time as foreign minister was underwhelming.

In endorsing Hunt, Rudd said: "These are serious times and we need a respected statesman who Brussels will listen to, not more bluster."

The contest to replace Theresa May as Britain's next leader formally got underway on Monday, with frontrunner Boris Johnson facing criticism from Paris over his Brexit plan and a key rival struggling to throw off a drugs scandal.

The contest to replace Theresa May as Britain's next leader formally got underway on Monday, with frontrunner Boris Johnson facing criticism from Paris over his Brexit plan and a key rival struggling to throw off a drugs scandal. Eleven candidates have declared their interest in succeeding May, who quit as her Conservative party's leader on Friday over her failure to take Britain out of the EU on time. She remains prime minister until a new leader is chosen, likely in late July, and they will automatically enter Downing Street. The race has been dominated by Britain's looming EU exit on October 31, with Johnson among those talking tough on the need to renegotiate the terms May struck or leave with no deal. But his vow to refuse to pay the multi-billion-euro financial settlement she has agreed, covering Britain's liabilities from four decades of EU membership, drew a sharp rebuke from Paris. "Not honouring payment obligations is a breach of international commitment equivalent to a default on its sovereign debt, with the consequences that we know," a source close to French President Emmanuel Macron told AFP. Johnson is the bookmakers' favourite but has not appeared in public for weeks, a tactic that has helped the politician best known for his gaffes, jokes and anecdotes to stay on message. While his rivals have been touring the broadcast studios, he announced his latest campaign promise -- to slash income tax -- in his regular newspaper column. By contrast, another leading candidate, Environment Secretary Michael Gove, spent the weekend apologising after revealing he had taken cocaine on several occasions two decades ago. Serious times May took over after the 2016 EU referendum but was forced to quit after failing three times to get her divorce deal through parliament, and twice delaying Brexit. Johnson and Gove were both leading campaigners for Brexit in the referendum, but while the former quit the government over May's approach, Gove stayed on. The pair have history -- Gove dramatically withdrew his backing for Johnson during the 2016 leadership campaign, only to falter himself, clearing the way for May. The 51-year-old's campaign this time has been hit by the revelation in a forthcoming biography of his illegal use of cocaine, which he admitted but said was a mistake. He suffered another blow on Monday when his cabinet colleague Amber Rudd, a moderate on Brexit, endorsed Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt for the leadership. Gove has taken a softer line on Britain's EU departure than Johnson, suggesting he might delay Brexit once again to try to avoid a damaging "no deal" exit. Meanwhile, Hunt claimed at that weekend that he had received encouraging signals for renegotiating the Brexit deal from German Chancellor Angela Merkel. In response, a German government spokeswoman referenced a previous remark by Merkel that the deal cannot be reopened, although a declaration on future ties could be. Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Interior Minister Sajid Javid, former Brexit minister Dominic Raab and Commons leader Andrea Leadsom are also in the running among several others. Each must have the support of at least eight Conservative MPs to stand. In a series of secret ballots running from June 13 to 20, MPs will then whittle down the field to a final pair. These two will then be chosen in a postal ballot by more than 160,000 paying party members. Johnson emphasises his appeal across the political divide, a persuasive argument as there is a real risk of a general election if the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit remains. The Tories are under pressure from both leftist Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and populist Nigel Farage, whose new Brexit Party has been poaching disgruntled Tory voters. But Johnson's bombastic rhetoric has alienated many colleagues and voters, he has been accused of lying during the Brexit campaign and his time as foreign minister was underwhelming. In endorsing Hunt, Rudd said: "These are serious times and we need a respected statesman who Brussels will listen to, not more bluster."

Drugs and Brexit: Race to replace United Kingdom's May under way

British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives are facing a battering at this month's European Parliament elections amid the Brexit impasse, presenting their candidates with quite a challenge in the campaign for votes.

With May's authority hanging by a thread, Brexit postponed, voters fed up and eurosceptics deserting the party in droves, according to opinion polls, Ashley Fox, who leads the Conservatives in the outgoing European Parliament, concedes that this election campaign is "difficult".

"I understand why people are angry," the 49-year-old MEP said, drinking a cup of tea in the Conservative Party offices in Bristol, southwest England.

In June 2016, 52 per cent of voters were in favour of Britain leaving the European Union.

Brexit was originally set to happen on March 29 this year. But MPs could not agree on the divorce deal May struck with Brussels and now the departure date has been set back to October 31.

As a result, Britain must take part in the European Parliament elections, being held in the UK on May 23, to elect MEPs who may take their seats for a few months only.

Protest vote fears

The election "will be difficult for my party because electors are frustrated, and we saw that in the local elections," said Fox.

In the local authority polls on May 2, both main parties -- the Conservatives and the Labour opposition -- took a pounding as exasperated voters switched elsewhere.

The Brexit Party, newly formed by eurosceptic figurehead Nigel Farage, is leading the opinion polls for the European Parliament elections.

"We would prefer that they wouldn't be taking place. But we will fight them," said Fox, as he urged voters not to defect to Farage's single-issue start-up.

A survey by pollsters Opinium, out Sunday in The Observer newspaper, put the Brexit Party on 34 per cent, Labour on 21 per cent, the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats on 12 per cent and the Conservatives on 11 per cent.

The campaigning enthusiasm shown by Fox is not matched by Conservative headquarters in London.

Perhaps sensing which way the wind is blowing, the centre-right party is yet to hold an official campaign launch, leaving the battle to the footsoldiers.

Standing for re-election in the southwest England constituency, which returns six MEPs, Fox has planned a limited campaign focused on social media rather than doorknocking.

He insists that is not out of fear of meeting the voters, but due to the lack of time between now and polling day for elections, he never expected to be standing in.

With less than a fortnight to go until the polls, Stephen Williams, who is standing for the Liberal Democrats, is hoping the centrist party can maintain the impressive resurgence it witnessed in the local elections.

He is out knocking on doors almost every day.

"My main message is: we want to stop Brexit," Williams told AFP while out campaigning in Redcliffe in the heart of Bristol.

Calling at one opulent house, he is met by a young man who seems startled by the knock and uninterested in the election.

But Williams, 52, is used to the hazards of doorknocking: he has been doing it for 35 years and was the Bristol West member of the British parliament from 2005 to 2015.

Brexit 'mess'

The next house offers a more enthusiastic welcome. On the porch, Dan Tyndall, a reverend, willingly shares the candidate's pro-European outlook.

"I hope for something that gives us a very clear indication as to how we can get ourselves out of this mess," the cleric said of the elections.

With a thick wad of leaflets, Williams goes tirelessly from door to door and does not encounter a single Brexiteer.

In Bristol, 62 per cent of voters wanted Britain to remain in the EU.

"The Liberal Democrats are the largest pro-remain party," Williams tells Elizabeth Davies, 57, as her little black dog barks.

Here again, his message falls on receptive ears.

"I have never ever voted Conservative in my entire life and I now can't vote for the Labour Party because they haven't come out as an opposition party," she said.

The two main parties are continuing to negotiate on a possible Brexit compromise, and Labour is pursuing what has been dubbed "constructive ambiguity" on the topic.

Satisfied, Williams presses on with his campaigning, in the hope of securing a seat -- and keeping it if Britain does a U-turn on its Brexit decision.

British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives are facing a battering at this month's European Parliament elections amid the Brexit impasse, presenting their candidates with quite a challenge in the campaign for votes.

British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives are facing a battering at this month's European Parliament elections amid the Brexit impasse, presenting their candidates with quite a challenge in the campaign for votes. With May's authority hanging by a thread, Brexit postponed, voters fed up and eurosceptics deserting the party in droves, according to opinion polls, Ashley Fox, who leads the Conservatives in the outgoing European Parliament, concedes that this election campaign is "difficult". "I understand why people are angry," the 49-year-old MEP said, drinking a cup of tea in the Conservative Party offices in Bristol, southwest England. In June 2016, 52 per cent of voters were in favour of Britain leaving the European Union. Brexit was originally set to happen on March 29 this year. But MPs could not agree on the divorce deal May struck with Brussels and now the departure date has been set back to October 31. As a result, Britain must take part in the European Parliament elections, being held in the UK on May 23, to elect MEPs who may take their seats for a few months only. Protest vote fears The election "will be difficult for my party because electors are frustrated, and we saw that in the local elections," said Fox. In the local authority polls on May 2, both main parties -- the Conservatives and the Labour opposition -- took a pounding as exasperated voters switched elsewhere. The Brexit Party, newly formed by eurosceptic figurehead Nigel Farage, is leading the opinion polls for the European Parliament elections. "We would prefer that they wouldn't be taking place. But we will fight them," said Fox, as he urged voters not to defect to Farage's single-issue start-up. A survey by pollsters Opinium, out Sunday in The Observer newspaper, put the Brexit Party on 34 per cent, Labour on 21 per cent, the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats on 12 per cent and the Conservatives on 11 per cent. The campaigning enthusiasm shown by Fox is not matched by Conservative headquarters in London. Perhaps sensing which way the wind is blowing, the centre-right party is yet to hold an official campaign launch, leaving the battle to the footsoldiers. Standing for re-election in the southwest England constituency, which returns six MEPs, Fox has planned a limited campaign focused on social media rather than doorknocking. He insists that is not out of fear of meeting the voters, but due to the lack of time between now and polling day for elections, he never expected to be standing in. With less than a fortnight to go until the polls, Stephen Williams, who is standing for the Liberal Democrats, is hoping the centrist party can maintain the impressive resurgence it witnessed in the local elections. He is out knocking on doors almost every day. "My main message is: we want to stop Brexit," Williams told AFP while out campaigning in Redcliffe in the heart of Bristol. Calling at one opulent house, he is met by a young man who seems startled by the knock and uninterested in the election. But Williams, 52, is used to the hazards of doorknocking: he has been doing it for 35 years and was the Bristol West member of the British parliament from 2005 to 2015. Brexit 'mess' The next house offers a more enthusiastic welcome. On the porch, Dan Tyndall, a reverend, willingly shares the candidate's pro-European outlook. "I hope for something that gives us a very clear indication as to how we can get ourselves out of this mess," the cleric said of the elections. With a thick wad of leaflets, Williams goes tirelessly from door to door and does not encounter a single Brexiteer. In Bristol, 62 per cent of voters wanted Britain to remain in the EU. "The Liberal Democrats are the largest pro-remain party," Williams tells Elizabeth Davies, 57, as her little black dog barks. Here again, his message falls on receptive ears. "I have never ever voted Conservative in my entire life and I now can't vote for the Labour Party because they haven't come out as an opposition party," she said. The two main parties are continuing to negotiate on a possible Brexit compromise, and Labour is pursuing what has been dubbed "constructive ambiguity" on the topic. Satisfied, Williams presses on with his campaigning, in the hope of securing a seat -- and keeping it if Britain does a U-turn on its Brexit decision.

Theresa May's Conservatives battle Brexit ballot bloodbath

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday urged main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to work with her to break the Brexit deadlock, telling him,&nbsp;"Let's do a deal".

May said she understood why hardcore Brexiteers in her own centre-right Conservative Party, who want a clean break with the European Union, would wince at the prospect of striking a softer agreement with the veteran socialist.

But she insisted the clobbering both main parties took in last week's English local elections had increased the necessity of finding an EU divorce deal that a majority of MPs could get behind, even if many of her own backbenchers were not among them.

"To the leader of the opposition, I say this, let's listen to what the voters said in the elections and put our differences aside for a moment. Let's do a deal," she wrote in The Mail on Sunday newspaper.

May negotiated a withdrawal agreement with Brussels last year but MPs repeatedly voted it down, with large numbers of her own Conservative backbenchers standing against it.

"Regrettably, I have to accept there is no sign of that position changing," May wrote.

Had a withdrawal agreement been signed off, Britain would have left the EU on March 29. Its exit date has twice been postponed and is now set at October 31.

UK 'risks never leaving'

"The government has been in talks with the opposition to try to find a unified, cross-party position," May said.

"Many of my colleagues find this decision uncomfortable. Frankly, it is not what I wanted, either.

"But we have to find a way to break the deadlock - and I believe the results of the local elections give fresh urgency to this.

"We will keep negotiating, and keep trying to find a way through.

"The longer that takes, the greater the risk we will not leave at all. We need to get out of the EU and get a deal over the line."

The Conservatives lost more than a thousand seats in Thursday's English local authority polls, but left-wing Labour failed to capitalise, also losing seats as voters vented their frustration at the Brexit impasse dominating British politics.

The Sunday Times newspaper claimed that the government was prepared to give way to Labour on three areas, customs, goods alignment and workers' rights.

The broadsheet said May would set out plans for a temporary customs arrangement with the EU that would last until the next general election, which must be held by May 2022.

Anger at 'stitch-up'

However, more than 100 opposition lawmakers have written to May and Corbyn to say they would vote against any agreement the pair reach unless it is subject to a referendum.

"The very worst thing we could do at this time is a Westminster stitch-up, whether over the PM's deal or another deal. This risks alienating both those who voted leave in 2016 and those who voted remain," the letter says.

The phrase also appeared on the Sunday newspaper front pages, with The Observer's reading, "Anger grows at May-Corbyn bid to stitch up Brexit deal".

The Sunday Express said, "Brexit deal 'this week'," adding, "Panicking May and Corbyn close to an agreement that angry Brexiteers say is a 'stitch-up'."

Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith - who was himself ousted by his own MPs in 2003 - argued it was time to change the leadership, saying backbench MPs needed to "decide that either the prime minister sets the immediate date for departure or, I'm afraid, (we) must do it for her".

The hardcore eurosceptic called May a "caretaker prime minister", telling LBC radio that making fundamental decisions about Brexit under her leadership would, therefore, be "a big mistake".

May has said she will step aside once a Brexit deal has been passed by parliament.

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday urged main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to work with her to break the Brexit deadlock, telling him, "Let's do a deal".

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday urged main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to work with her to break the Brexit deadlock, telling him, "Let's do a deal". May said she understood why hardcore Brexiteers in her own centre-right Conservative Party, who want a clean break with the European Union, would wince at the prospect of striking a softer agreement with the veteran socialist. But she insisted the clobbering both main parties took in last week's English local elections had increased the necessity of finding an EU divorce deal that a majority of MPs could get behind, even if many of her own backbenchers were not among them. "To the leader of the opposition, I say this, let's listen to what the voters said in the elections and put our differences aside for a moment. Let's do a deal," she wrote in The Mail on Sunday newspaper. May negotiated a withdrawal agreement with Brussels last year but MPs repeatedly voted it down, with large numbers of her own Conservative backbenchers standing against it. "Regrettably, I have to accept there is no sign of that position changing," May wrote. Had a withdrawal agreement been signed off, Britain would have left the EU on March 29. Its exit date has twice been postponed and is now set at October 31. UK 'risks never leaving' "The government has been in talks with the opposition to try to find a unified, cross-party position," May said. "Many of my colleagues find this decision uncomfortable. Frankly, it is not what I wanted, either. "But we have to find a way to break the deadlock - and I believe the results of the local elections give fresh urgency to this. "We will keep negotiating, and keep trying to find a way through. "The longer that takes, the greater the risk we will not leave at all. We need to get out of the EU and get a deal over the line." The Conservatives lost more than a thousand seats in Thursday's English local authority polls, but left-wing Labour failed to capitalise, also losing seats as voters vented their frustration at the Brexit impasse dominating British politics. The Sunday Times newspaper claimed that the government was prepared to give way to Labour on three areas, customs, goods alignment and workers' rights. The broadsheet said May would set out plans for a temporary customs arrangement with the EU that would last until the next general election, which must be held by May 2022. Anger at 'stitch-up' However, more than 100 opposition lawmakers have written to May and Corbyn to say they would vote against any agreement the pair reach unless it is subject to a referendum. "The very worst thing we could do at this time is a Westminster stitch-up, whether over the PM's deal or another deal. This risks alienating both those who voted leave in 2016 and those who voted remain," the letter says. The phrase also appeared on the Sunday newspaper front pages, with The Observer's reading, "Anger grows at May-Corbyn bid to stitch up Brexit deal". The Sunday Express said, "Brexit deal 'this week'," adding, "Panicking May and Corbyn close to an agreement that angry Brexiteers say is a 'stitch-up'." Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith - who was himself ousted by his own MPs in 2003 - argued it was time to change the leadership, saying backbench MPs needed to "decide that either the prime minister sets the immediate date for departure or, I'm afraid, (we) must do it for her". The hardcore eurosceptic called May a "caretaker prime minister", telling LBC radio that making fundamental decisions about Brexit under her leadership would, therefore, be "a big mistake". May has said she will step aside once a Brexit deal has been passed by parliament.

'Let's do a deal' on Brexit: British PM tells Labour

Three pro-EU lawmakers from Britain's governing Conservatives quit over the "disastrous handling of Brexit" on Wednesday, in a blow to Prime Minister Theresa May's attempts to unite her party around plans to leave the European Union.

The lawmakers, long critical of May's Brexit strategy to leave the EU which they believe is being driven by Conservative eurosceptics, said in a statement they would join a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/seven-lawmakers-quit-uk-labour-party-citing-brexit-betrayal-anti-semitism-198096">new group in parliament set up by seven former opposition Labour politicians</a>.

The resignations put May in an even weaker position in parliament, where her <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uks-may-suffers-embarrassing-brexit-defeat-in-parliament-197491">Brexit deal was crushed by lawmakers </a>last month when eurosceptics and EU supporters voted against an agreement that both sides say offers the worst of all worlds.

They could also undermine May's negotiating position in Brussels, where she is going later on Wednesday for talks with Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to try to secure an opening for further technical work on revising the agreement.

With only 37 days until Britain leaves the EU, its biggest foreign and trade policy shift in more than 40 years, divisions over Brexit are redrawing the political landscape. The resignations threaten a decades-old two-party system.

"The final straw for us has been this government's disastrous handling of Brexit," the three lawmakers, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston, said in a statement.

"We no longer feel we can remain in the party of a government whose policies and priorities are so firmly in the grip of the ERG and DUP," they said, referring to a group of Conservative pro-Brexit lawmakers and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party which props up the government in parliament.

Earlier this week, seven former Labour lawmakers announced a new movement, the Independent Group, after quitting their party over increasing frustration with their leader Jeremy Corbyn's Brexit strategy and a row over anti-Semitism.

Another former Labour lawmaker joined their ranks late on Tuesday, and several politicians from both the main opposition party and Conservatives said they expected more to follow from both sides of parliament.

For May's Brexit plan, the resignations are yet another blow to more than two years of talks to leave the EU, which have been punctuated by defeats in parliament, rows over policy and a confidence vote, which she ultimately won.

Three pro-EU lawmakers from Britain's governing Conservatives quit over the "disastrous handling of Brexit" on Wednesday, in a blow to Prime Minister Theresa May's attempts to unite her party around plans to leave the European Union.

Three pro-EU lawmakers from Britain's governing Conservatives quit over the "disastrous handling of Brexit" on Wednesday, in a blow to Prime Minister Theresa May's attempts to unite her party around plans to leave the European Union. The lawmakers, long critical of May's Brexit strategy to leave the EU which they believe is being driven by Conservative eurosceptics, said in a statement they would join a new group in parliament set up by seven former opposition Labour politicians. The resignations put May in an even weaker position in parliament, where her Brexit deal was crushed by lawmakers last month when eurosceptics and EU supporters voted against an agreement that both sides say offers the worst of all worlds. They could also undermine May's negotiating position in Brussels, where she is going later on Wednesday for talks with Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to try to secure an opening for further technical work on revising the agreement. With only 37 days until Britain leaves the EU, its biggest foreign and trade policy shift in more than 40 years, divisions over Brexit are redrawing the political landscape. The resignations threaten a decades-old two-party system. "The final straw for us has been this government's disastrous handling of Brexit," the three lawmakers, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston, said in a statement. "We no longer feel we can remain in the party of a government whose policies and priorities are so firmly in the grip of the ERG and DUP," they said, referring to a group of Conservative pro-Brexit lawmakers and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party which props up the government in parliament. Earlier this week, seven former Labour lawmakers announced a new movement, the Independent Group, after quitting their party over increasing frustration with their leader Jeremy Corbyn's Brexit strategy and a row over anti-Semitism. Another former Labour lawmaker joined their ranks late on Tuesday, and several politicians from both the main opposition party and Conservatives said they expected more to follow from both sides of parliament. For May's Brexit plan, the resignations are yet another blow to more than two years of talks to leave the EU, which have been punctuated by defeats in parliament, rows over policy and a confidence vote, which she ultimately won.

Three UK Conservatives quit party in protest over 'disastrous Brexit'

British Prime Minister <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-may-pledges-to-find-compromise-that-will-avoid-no-deal-brexit-2nd-referendum-190821">Theresa May </a>reached out to her opponents on Wednesday after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-theresa-may-survives-no-confidence-vote-against-her-government-190826">narrowly surviving a confidence vote</a> sparked by the crushing defeat in the parliament of her Brexit deal.

After a tumultuous 24 hours which she admitted voters might find "unsettling", she conceded the divorce terms she struck with the EU had been roundly rejected but vowed to work to find an alternative.

"Now MPs have made clear what they don't want, we must all work constructively together to set out what parliament does want," May said in a televised evening address to the nation.

On Tuesday,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-parliament-votes-down-pm-mays-eu-brexit-deal-by-230-votes-190586"> MPs dealt the prime minister the heaviest drubbing</a> in modern British political history by rejecting the divorce agreement by a stunning 432 votes to 202.

But May emerged victorious on Wednesday night in a confidence vote triggered by the opposition Labour party, the first for 26 years, winning 325 votes to 306.

She set out a schedule of cross-party talks that began immediately with meetings with the Scottish nationalist, Welsh nationalist and the pro-EU Liberal Democrat leaders.

"We must find solutions that are negotiable and command sufficient support in this House," she had told earlier told parliament.

However, opposition leaders set out a list of demands for cooperating, including discussing delaying Brexit beyond March 29, and ruling out the possibility that Britain crashes out without any deal at all.

Late night talks

May is working on the tightest-possible deadline as Britain prepares to leave the bloc that for half a century defined its economic and political relations with the rest of the world.

Her defeat <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/still-time-to-negotiate-germanys-merkel-says-after-may-loses-brexit-vote-190761">sparked warnings from European leaders</a> that the prospect of "no deal" had increased, with the potential for huge economic disruption on both sides of the Channel.

May must return to parliament on Monday with a Plan B that she and her team intend to negotiate with various MPs through the weekend.

But main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would only meet May if she could "remove clearly, once and for all the prospect of the catastrophe of a no-deal Brexit".

May said she was "disappointed" by Corbyn's decision and stressed that "our door remains open".

Ian Blackford of the Scottish National Party (SNP) said after meeting May late Wednesday that his 35-seat party would only hold "genuine" talks.

If she were prepared to consider delaying Brexit, ruling out "no deal" and the option of holding a second referendum, they would participate, he said in a letter afterwards.&nbsp;

May has flatly rejected a second vote.

Divorce delay?

May survived Wednesday thanks to the support of members of her Conservative Party and its Northern Irish allies in the Democratic Union Party.

But more than a third of the Conservatives and all 10 DUP members of parliament voted against her Brexit arrangements on Tuesday -- each for their own reason.

May will thus tread carefully as she tries to win over opposition lawmakers -- many of whom want to remain in the EU -- while also attempting to appease more hardened Brexit-backing coalition partners.

She stuck to two key principles on Wednesday: limiting EU migration and pursuing an independent trade policy.

Both points rule out Labour hopes of membership of an EU customs union or its single market.

Yet she also hinted at the possibility of delaying Brexit.

May said the EU would allow this "if it was clear that there was a plan that was moving toward an agreed deal".

EU officials have said extending the negotiating period could be possible until the newly-elected European Parliament meets in July.

Blurred lines 
 
European leaders have repeatedly said they will not reopen the draft withdrawal agreement sealed at a special Brussels summit in December.

French President Emmanuel Macron suggested the EU might be willing to tweak a few minor points -- but only if they did not alter the bloc's existing position on trade and borders.

"We won't, just to solve Britain's domestic political issues, stop defending European interests," he said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was time for talks as long as London could present a clear and united position.

"We're now waiting on what the prime minister proposes," she said.

And Irish Prime Leo Varadkar added, "that if the United Kingdom were to evolve from its red lines on the customs union and on the single market, that the European Union could evolve also."

British Prime Minister Theresa May reached out to her opponents on Wednesday after narrowly surviving a confidence vote sparked by the crushing defeat in the parliament of her Brexit deal.

British Prime Minister Theresa May reached out to her opponents on Wednesday after narrowly surviving a confidence vote sparked by the crushing defeat in the parliament of her Brexit deal. After a tumultuous 24 hours which she admitted voters might find "unsettling", she conceded the divorce terms she struck with the EU had been roundly rejected but vowed to work to find an alternative. "Now MPs have made clear what they don't want, we must all work constructively together to set out what parliament does want," May said in a televised evening address to the nation. On Tuesday, MPs dealt the prime minister the heaviest drubbing in modern British political history by rejecting the divorce agreement by a stunning 432 votes to 202. But May emerged victorious on Wednesday night in a confidence vote triggered by the opposition Labour party, the first for 26 years, winning 325 votes to 306. She set out a schedule of cross-party talks that began immediately with meetings with the Scottish nationalist, Welsh nationalist and the pro-EU Liberal Democrat leaders. "We must find solutions that are negotiable and command sufficient support in this House," she had told earlier told parliament. However, opposition leaders set out a list of demands for cooperating, including discussing delaying Brexit beyond March 29, and ruling out the possibility that Britain crashes out without any deal at all. Late night talks May is working on the tightest-possible deadline as Britain prepares to leave the bloc that for half a century defined its economic and political relations with the rest of the world. Her defeat sparked warnings from European leaders that the prospect of "no deal" had increased, with the potential for huge economic disruption on both sides of the Channel. May must return to parliament on Monday with a Plan B that she and her team intend to negotiate with various MPs through the weekend. But main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would only meet May if she could "remove clearly, once and for all the prospect of the catastrophe of a no-deal Brexit". May said she was "disappointed" by Corbyn's decision and stressed that "our door remains open". Ian Blackford of the Scottish National Party (SNP) said after meeting May late Wednesday that his 35-seat party would only hold "genuine" talks. If she were prepared to consider delaying Brexit, ruling out "no deal" and the option of holding a second referendum, they would participate, he said in a letter afterwards. May has flatly rejected a second vote. Divorce delay? May survived Wednesday thanks to the support of members of her Conservative Party and its Northern Irish allies in the Democratic Union Party. But more than a third of the Conservatives and all 10 DUP members of parliament voted against her Brexit arrangements on Tuesday -- each for their own reason. May will thus tread carefully as she tries to win over opposition lawmakers -- many of whom want to remain in the EU -- while also attempting to appease more hardened Brexit-backing coalition partners. She stuck to two key principles on Wednesday: limiting EU migration and pursuing an independent trade policy. Both points rule out Labour hopes of membership of an EU customs union or its single market. Yet she also hinted at the possibility of delaying Brexit. May said the EU would allow this "if it was clear that there was a plan that was moving toward an agreed deal". EU officials have said extending the negotiating period could be possible until the newly-elected European Parliament meets in July. Blurred lines European leaders have repeatedly said they will not reopen the draft withdrawal agreement sealed at a special Brussels summit in December. French President Emmanuel Macron suggested the EU might be willing to tweak a few minor points -- but only if they did not alter the bloc's existing position on trade and borders. "We won't, just to solve Britain's domestic political issues, stop defending European interests," he said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was time for talks as long as London could present a clear and united position. "We're now waiting on what the prime minister proposes," she said. And Irish Prime Leo Varadkar added, "that if the United Kingdom were to evolve from its red lines on the customs union and on the single market, that the European Union could evolve also."

We must all work together for Brexit, says PM Theresa May after winning confidence vote

Britain's parliament on Tuesday voted against Prime Minister <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/britains-may-faces-defeat-in-parliament-over-brexit-plan-190530">Theresa May's Brexit deal </a>by a massive margin, triggering a no-confidence vote that could bring down her government.&nbsp;

The House of Commons lower house voted 432 to 202 against May's plan for taking Britain out of the European Union after nearly five decades, one of the biggest defeats ever suffered by a British premier.

The EU warned that the vote, which plunges Britain into uncharted waters, boosts the risk of a "no deal" Brexit.

Moments after the outcome, opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn submitted a motion of no-confidence in May's government.

The vote is set for Wednesday.

Speaking moments before the MPs cast their ballots, May said MPs had a "duty to deliver" on the results of a 2016 referendum that started the divorce.

"I believe we have a duty to deliver on the democratic decision of the British people," May said, warning MPs that the EU would not offer any "alternative deal".

"A vote against this deal is a vote for uncertainty, division, and the very real threat of a no deal," she argued to loud jeers from the packed chamber.

"The responsibility of each and every one of us at this moment is profound, for this is a historic decision that will set the future of our country for generations."

Most lawmakers have always opposed Brexit, as have some leading members of May's government, creating an inherent contradiction that has torn apart the island nation.

And with just over two months to go until the scheduled March 29 departure, Britain still cannot decide what to do.

May must now decide whether she tries to hold another vote, gets kicked out of office, delays Brexit -- or if Brexit even happens at all.

As their nation's fate was being decided, hundreds of noisy supporters and opponents of Brexit, some banging drums and others driving floats with huge dolls mocking top UK politicians, rallied outside the ancient parliament building in London.

"It could end up being the day that will lead to us leaving with no deal!" said 25-year-old Simon Fisher, who backs a swift and sharp break with the EU.

A much larger rally nearby in support of a second referendum turned Parliament Square into a sea of EU flags.

One pro-Brexit activist attempting to join the rally was detained by police to shouts of "scum" from fellow protesters in an indication of rising tensions.

Others voiced their support for a second referendum, an option May's government rules out.

'No Deal? No problem!'

May made it her mission to carry out the wishes of voters after she became premier in July 2016, putting aside her own initial misgivings and stating repeatedly that "Brexit means Brexit".

But facing a heavy drubbing, May decided to postpone a parliamentary vote in December on the Brexit deal in the hope of winning concessions from Brussels -- and that a Christmas break would change lawmakers' minds.

EU leaders came back with only non-binding clarifications, and just a handful of new MPs have rallied to May's side.

The UK government's current plan appears to be to try to ram a very similar version of the agreement through parliament on a second or possibly even third attempt.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker returned to Brussels from Strasbourg on Tuesday "to handle the situation after the vote," according to his office.

In Strasbourg, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas raised the possibility of further talks while ruling out a full renegotiation of the text.

Hardline Brexiteers and Remainers oppose the agreement for different reasons and many fear it could lock Britain into an unfavourable trading relationship with the EU.

Bitter debates about Britain's place in the world have dominated the national discourse ever since the referendum, dividing families and playing out in front of parliament on Tuesday.

Financial markets were also watching closely, with several currency trading companies roping in extra staff for the vote and at least one putting a cap on trades to avoid excessive movements.

Risk of no deal

Criticism of the deal is focused on an arrangement to keep open the border with Ireland by aligning Britain with some EU trade rules, if and until London and Brussels sign a new economic partnership which could take several years.

Sammy Wilson, Brexit spokesman with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, upon which May relies for her parliamentary majority, told the BBC his party would not be forced into backing the deal by fears over the border.

The government must set out what happens next by Monday, if -- as is expected -- it survives the no-confidence vote.

Speculation is growing on both sides of the Channel that May could ask to delay Brexit.

But a diplomatic source told AFP any extension would not be possible beyond June 30, when the new European Parliament will be formed.&nbsp;

The withdrawal agreement includes plans for a post-Brexit transition period until a new relationship is drawn up, in return for continued budget contributions from London.

Without it, and if there is no delay, Britain will sever ties with its nearest neighbours with no agreement to ease the blow.

Britain's parliament on Tuesday voted against Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal by a massive margin, triggering a no-confidence vote that could bring down her government.

Britain's parliament on Tuesday voted against Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal by a massive margin, triggering a no-confidence vote that could bring down her government. The House of Commons lower house voted 432 to 202 against May's plan for taking Britain out of the European Union after nearly five decades, one of the biggest defeats ever suffered by a British premier. The EU warned that the vote, which plunges Britain into uncharted waters, boosts the risk of a "no deal" Brexit. Moments after the outcome, opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn submitted a motion of no-confidence in May's government. The vote is set for Wednesday. Speaking moments before the MPs cast their ballots, May said MPs had a "duty to deliver" on the results of a 2016 referendum that started the divorce. "I believe we have a duty to deliver on the democratic decision of the British people," May said, warning MPs that the EU would not offer any "alternative deal". "A vote against this deal is a vote for uncertainty, division, and the very real threat of a no deal," she argued to loud jeers from the packed chamber. "The responsibility of each and every one of us at this moment is profound, for this is a historic decision that will set the future of our country for generations." Most lawmakers have always opposed Brexit, as have some leading members of May's government, creating an inherent contradiction that has torn apart the island nation. And with just over two months to go until the scheduled March 29 departure, Britain still cannot decide what to do. May must now decide whether she tries to hold another vote, gets kicked out of office, delays Brexit -- or if Brexit even happens at all. As their nation's fate was being decided, hundreds of noisy supporters and opponents of Brexit, some banging drums and others driving floats with huge dolls mocking top UK politicians, rallied outside the ancient parliament building in London. "It could end up being the day that will lead to us leaving with no deal!" said 25-year-old Simon Fisher, who backs a swift and sharp break with the EU. A much larger rally nearby in support of a second referendum turned Parliament Square into a sea of EU flags. One pro-Brexit activist attempting to join the rally was detained by police to shouts of "scum" from fellow protesters in an indication of rising tensions. Others voiced their support for a second referendum, an option May's government rules out. 'No Deal? No problem!' May made it her mission to carry out the wishes of voters after she became premier in July 2016, putting aside her own initial misgivings and stating repeatedly that "Brexit means Brexit". But facing a heavy drubbing, May decided to postpone a parliamentary vote in December on the Brexit deal in the hope of winning concessions from Brussels -- and that a Christmas break would change lawmakers' minds. EU leaders came back with only non-binding clarifications, and just a handful of new MPs have rallied to May's side. The UK government's current plan appears to be to try to ram a very similar version of the agreement through parliament on a second or possibly even third attempt. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker returned to Brussels from Strasbourg on Tuesday "to handle the situation after the vote," according to his office. In Strasbourg, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas raised the possibility of further talks while ruling out a full renegotiation of the text. Hardline Brexiteers and Remainers oppose the agreement for different reasons and many fear it could lock Britain into an unfavourable trading relationship with the EU. Bitter debates about Britain's place in the world have dominated the national discourse ever since the referendum, dividing families and playing out in front of parliament on Tuesday. Financial markets were also watching closely, with several currency trading companies roping in extra staff for the vote and at least one putting a cap on trades to avoid excessive movements. Risk of no deal Criticism of the deal is focused on an arrangement to keep open the border with Ireland by aligning Britain with some EU trade rules, if and until London and Brussels sign a new economic partnership which could take several years. Sammy Wilson, Brexit spokesman with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, upon which May relies for her parliamentary majority, told the BBC his party would not be forced into backing the deal by fears over the border. The government must set out what happens next by Monday, if -- as is expected -- it survives the no-confidence vote. Speculation is growing on both sides of the Channel that May could ask to delay Brexit. But a diplomatic source told AFP any extension would not be possible beyond June 30, when the new European Parliament will be formed. The withdrawal agreement includes plans for a post-Brexit transition period until a new relationship is drawn up, in return for continued budget contributions from London. Without it, and if there is no delay, Britain will sever ties with its nearest neighbours with no agreement to ease the blow.

Brexit: UK Parliament votes down PM May's EU deal by 230 votes