British MP Boris Johnson got up close and personal with a cheetah named Saba at Howlett's Animal Park in Kent, southeast England. The cat, which is scheduled to be released back into the wild soon, nibbled on the former foreign secretary's hat in moments captured on film. "You can see I was totally calm and at ease", Johnson joked on Twitter as he shared a video of the encounter. He also praised the "incredible work" of animal conservation charity the Aspinall Foundation, which runs the Howletts animal park. … [Read more...] about Raw Moment: Boris Johnson gets up close and personal with Saba the cheetah
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Raw Moment: Boris Johnson says MPs will reject May’s deal again if backstop changes insufficient
In light of Tuesday evening's votes in the House of Commons, Boris Johnson, former UK foreign minister, remained unconvinced that the result would change the course of Brexit. In a narrow vote last night, MPs passed an amendment that will see Theresa May go back to the EU and try to change the terms of the Irish backstop. However, the exact amendments that would be requested have not been disclosed. Currently, the changes have been described as "alternative arrangements". The prime minister's lack of detail on this point has drawn scepticism from some. "If it actually turns out that ... there is not a proper reform of the backstop, if there is no real escape hatch put in for the UK, then I'm afraid we're going to have to ... think about Plan B," Boris Johnson said. May has until February 13 to suggest changes and them to a vote. … [Read more...] about Raw Moment: Boris Johnson says MPs will reject May’s deal again if backstop changes insufficient
Boris Johnson dumped dirt on May’s Brexit deal in his bid to be viewed as a credible Plan B
Brexiteer rebel Boris Johnson travelled to JCB's headquarters in Staffordshire on Friday to dump some fresh dirt on Theresa May's Brexit deal. The former foreign secretary, who quit her cabinet in protest over her Brexit blueprint plans last July, told an audience of factory workers that her deal with the EU was bad for Britain and that's why parliament had comprehensively voted her down.He then went on to offer his boss some unsolicited advice about how to resolve the Brexit paralysis; Get back to Brussels and negotiate some more."If we hold our nerve, I believe we can deliver not a pseudo Brexit... but the Brexit people voted for," he said."It is time to go back fortified with the emphatic and conclusive mandate of parliament and demand real change to that backstop, and mean it this time so Britain can get out unilaterally and whatever they are saying I believe they will be flexible."When I suggested to him he had come all the way to JCB's headquarters - at a moment of national … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson dumped dirt on May’s Brexit deal in his bid to be viewed as a credible Plan B
Boris Johnson says delaying Article 50 would erode trust in politicians
Boris Johnson has said politicians would lose trust if they were to delay Brexit by extending Article 50 beyond 29 March. In a speech at building machinery giant JCB’s headquarters in Staffordshire this morning, he said “It's overwhelmingly likely we will get a deal, a good deal - we just won't get this deal”. “To extend Article 50 now would no nothing but erode trust in politics,” the former foreign secretary added. “It would cause widespread international dismay.” “The best way forward now is basically to keep what's good in this agreement. We should agree on all sides there should be no hard border and we should take the Irish backstop out.” “Now is the time to go back to Brussels and demand real change to that backstop. This time we must mean it, so that Britain can get out unilaterally.” Johnson refused to say he would back Theresa May if she were to call a snap election. Pressed on the issue, he said: “I … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson says delaying Article 50 would erode trust in politicians
Boris Johnson to make major speech, in what will be seen as act of disloyalty
Boris Johnson claims now is the time to "use Brexit to unite the country", in a major speech which will be seen as the latest move in his Tory leadership campaign. In a "wide-ranging speech", a label widely seen by MPs as code for a leadership bid, Mr Johnson will urge the government to focus on the "issues that drove Brexit".Coming only days after Theresa May suffered a humiliating Commons defeat by a record 230 votes on her Brexit deal, the speech will be seen as a further act of disloyalty.The venue, the headquarters of the JCB empire headed by billionaire Tory peer and Leave backer Anthony Bamford, will also be seen as an attempt by Mr Johnson to look prime ministerial.The JCB excavator plant, at Rocester in Staffordshire, was also the venue for a major speech by David Cameron on Europe and immigration policy in 2014 when he was prime minister.Although Mr Johnson spoke in the five-day Brexit debate in the Commons on Monday, the JCB speech is his first major leadership pitch since … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson to make major speech, in what will be seen as act of disloyalty