Saturday, June 1, 2024
ADVT 
International

New UK PM Johnson Promises Start Of 'Golden Age'

Darpan News Desk IANS, 25 Jul, 2019 08:43 PM

    Boris Johnson on Thursday promised the "beginning of a new golden age", as he made his first Commons statement as the Prime Minister and kicked off his political agenda with a government freshly stocked with more ardent pro-Brexit Ministers.


    Speaking to MPs, Johnson said his government would throw itself into Brexit negotiations with energy and assured EU citizens living in the UK that they would have "absolute certainty" of their right to live and remain in the country.


    On Brexit, he told MPs that Minister Michael Gove would make planning for a no-deal Brexit a "top priority", the BBC reported.


    Despite emphasizing the importance of preparing for a no deal, Johnson said he would "much prefer" to leave the EU with a deal and added that he will work "flat out to make it happen".


    However he told MPs the withdrawal agreement - negotiated by Theresa May with the EU - was "unacceptable to this Parliament and to this country".


    One of the controversial parts of the withdrawal agreement is the Northern Ireland backstop -- a mechanism to avoid physical checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.


    Johnson said other arrangements for the backstop were "perfectly compatible" with the Good Friday Agreement which which ended decades of strife in Northern Ireland between pro-British unionists and Irish nationalists.


    On immigration, he told MPs he wanted to change the system and would be asking the Migration Advisory Committee to come up with new proposals.


    The former London Mayor also addressed his Cabinet for the first time as Prime Minister. He told the Cabinet they had "a momentous task ahead", as he repeated his commitment for the UK to leave the EU on October 31.


    He took residence at Downing Street after two-thirds of the roughly 160,000 Conservative Party members voted for him to lead the party, taking over from Theresa May, who left the post due to her inability to command a parliamentary majority in her quest to pass the Brexit withdrawal bill, her flagship policy.


    Although some of May's Ministers held onto their jobs, and others took on new titles, Johnson took care to curate his Cabinet in line with his harsher stance on the UK's withdrawal from the EU.


    Former banker Sajid Javid moved from the Home Office to become Chancellor of the Exchequer, taking over from Phillip Hammond, who opted to resign rather than serve under Johnson.


    Dominic Raab, a former Brexit Secretary appointed by May who went on to resign in opposition to the withdrawal deal, becomes Foreign Secretary, taking over as the country's top diplomat from Jeremy Hunt.


    Priti Patel, one of the key figures in Vote Leave who was fired by May for holding undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials, takes on the role of Home Secretary.


    Gavin Williamson, who was also fired by May for leaking information regarding the government's position on Chinese firm Huawei's plan to roll out 5G, is the new Education Secretary.


    Liam Fox was sacked as International Trade Secretary to be replaced by Liz Truss. Former Environment Secretary Michael Gove is now the Chancellor of Duchy of Lancaster, a Ministerial post without a portfolio.


    Notably, Dominic Cummings, a campaign director for Vote Leave often credited coming up with the slogan "let's take back control" which was famously painted on the side of a red bus erroneously suggesting the UK spent 350 million pounds a week to be a member of the EU, became Johnson's senior policy advisor.

     

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Indian-Origin Mother Jailed For 6 Years Over Murder Of Her Baby In UK

    Indian-Origin Mother Jailed For 6 Years Over Murder Of Her Baby In UK
    An India-born woman has been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment after a UK court found her guilty of manslaughter and cruelty against her seven-month-old daughter.

    Indian-Origin Mother Jailed For 6 Years Over Murder Of Her Baby In UK

    Sikh Priest In New Zealand Found Guilty of Sexually Abusing Children In Auckland Gurdwara Complex

    The two victims were aged eight and 12 years old when Singh lured them, separately, into quiet rooms within a West Auckland gurdwara and groped their bottoms. The assaults happened in 2017.  

    Sikh Priest In New Zealand Found Guilty of Sexually Abusing Children In Auckland Gurdwara Complex

    Hindu Priest Attacked Near Temple In New York Days After Trump’s ‘Go Back’ Tweet

    Top Indian diplomats in the US have expressed gratitude to the authorities for their support and quick action following the attack on a Hindu priest in the New York City borough of Queens.

    Hindu Priest Attacked Near Temple In New York Days After Trump’s ‘Go Back’ Tweet

    Indian-Origin Comedian Manjunath Naidu Dies On Stage In Dubai; Audience Thinks It's Part Of Act

    The performer, originally from Chennai, passed away from a reported cardiac arrest on July 19 at the Signature Hotel. 

    Indian-Origin Comedian Manjunath Naidu Dies On Stage In Dubai; Audience Thinks It's Part Of Act

    Khalsa Aid’s Ravi Singh Apologises On Behalf Of The Sikh Community For 'Sikhs For Trump'

    Ravi Singh of Khalsa Aid is apologising on the behalf of the Sikh community after photos of men in Sikhs for Trump community cropped up online. 

    Khalsa Aid’s Ravi Singh Apologises On Behalf Of The Sikh Community For 'Sikhs For Trump'

    Aid To Pak To Stay 'Suspended', Says US Report Ahead Of Imran Khan Visit

    At the direction of US President Donald Trump, the United States had suspended all its security assistance to Pakistan in January 2018. This is first high-level visit by a Pakistani prime minster to the White House during the Trump administration.  

    Aid To Pak To Stay 'Suspended', Says US Report Ahead Of Imran Khan Visit