161-872: European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union The European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019 , informally referred to as the Benn Act , was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that required the Prime Minister of the UK to seek an extension to the Brexit withdrawal date—then scheduled for 31 October 2019—in certain circumstances. The main provisions of
322-477: A Labour Party safe seat . Spending six weeks campaigning, he attained 9,091 votes (23 per cent) in the 1997 general election , losing to Labour candidate Martyn Jones . Scandal erupted in June 1995 when a recording of a 1990 telephone conversation between Johnson and his friend Darius Guppy was made public. In it, Guppy said that his criminal activities involving insurance fraud were being investigated by News of
483-822: A March 2017 general Assembly election , until 11 January 2020. The leading party in the Assembly, the Democratic Unionist Party withdrew support for the Assembly, through the rsesignation of First Minister Paul Givan , in February 2022, in protest over the Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit agreement, the implementation of which unionists have objected to. Following a second general election in 2022, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson , DUP leader and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley secured an MLA position in
644-768: A war reporter , instead promoting him to assistant editor and chief political columnist. Johnson's column received praise for being ideologically eclectic and distinctively written, and earned him Commentator of the Year Award at the What the Papers Say awards. Some critics condemned his writing style as bigotry; in columns he used the words " piccaninnies " and " watermelon smiles " when referring to Africans, championed European colonialism in Uganda and referred to gay men as "tank-topped bumboys". In 1993, Johnson outlined his desire to run as
805-510: A Conservative in the 1994 European Parliament elections . Andrew Mitchell convinced Major not to veto Johnson's candidacy, but Johnson could not find a constituency. He turned his attention to obtaining a seat in the House of Commons instead. After being rejected as Conservative candidate for Holborn and St. Pancras , he was selected the Conservative candidate for Clwyd South in north Wales, then
966-519: A charitable cause. Johnson resented this, and ultimately did not pay the full 20%. Controversy erupted when on the BBC 's HARDtalk he referred to the £250,000 salary as "chicken feed"; this was at the time approximately 10 times the average yearly wage for a British worker. During his first administration, Johnson was embroiled in several personal scandals. After moving to a new house in Islington, he built
1127-565: A division on 5 September, and passed the committee, report, and third reading stages unamended on 6 September. The bill received royal assent and became law on 9 September 2019, several hours before Parliament was suspended. In response to the bill's passage on 4 September, the Government immediately brought a motion for an early general election under the terms of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 . The motion failed 298–56, short of
1288-495: A four-year course in Classics, ancient languages, literature, history, and philosophy. Matriculating in late 1983, he was one of a generation of Oxford undergraduates who dominated British politics and media in the early 21st century, including Cameron, William Hague , Michael Gove , Jeremy Hunt and Nick Boles . While at Oxford, Johnson joined the college's rugby union team as a tighthead prop . To his later regret, he joined
1449-509: A job with a policy panel on population control , and moved the family to Norwalk, Connecticut , in June. A third child, Leo, was born in September 1967. The family returned to the UK in 1969, and lived at West Nethercote Farm, Somerset, Stanley's family home in Exmoor . His father was regularly absent, leaving Johnson to be raised largely by his mother, assisted by au pairs . As a child, Johnson
1610-563: A kid I was extremely spotty, extremely nerdy and horribly swotty . My idea of a really good time was to travel across London on the tube to visit the British Museum . — Boris Johnson Johnson gained a King's Scholarship to study at Eton College , a boarding school near Windsor, Berkshire . Arriving in the autumn term of 1977, he began going by his middle name Boris, and developed "the eccentric English persona" for which he became famous. He denounced Catholicism and joined
1771-606: A later edition of his 2005 book The Dream of Rome , Tell MAMA and the Muslim Council of Britain criticised Johnson for arguing Islam has caused the Muslim world to be "literally centuries behind" the West. The selection of Boris Johnson ... confirms the Tory Party's increasing weakness for celebrity personalities over the dreary exigencies of politics. Johnson, for all his gifts,
SECTION 10
#17328522119231932-784: A more socially liberal attitude, supporting the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the repeal of Section 28 . However, in 2001, Johnson had spoken out against plans to repeal Section 28, saying it was "Labour's appalling agenda, encouraging the teaching of homosexuality in schools". After initially stating he would not, he supported the government's plans to join the United States in the 2003 invasion of Iraq , and in April 2003 visited occupied Baghdad. In August 2004, he backed unsuccessful impeachment procedures against Prime Minister Tony Blair for " high crimes and misdemeanours " regarding
2093-595: A motion when it is introduced by the Government under the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill is or is not in fact cast in neutral terms and hence whether the motion is or is not amendable. The Government recognises that it is open for Ministers and members of the House of Commons to table motions on and debate matters of concern and that, as is the convention, parliamentary time will be provided for this." Ministerial Statement HCWS781, 21 June 2018 The approval provisions use certain words in special ways: The sections of
2254-463: A neo-Nazi. Johnson declined and elicited further outrage from some MPs when he said that "the best way to honour [Cox's] memory" was "to get Brexit done". On 19 October 2019, a special Saturday sitting of Parliament was held to debate a revised withdrawal agreement. Prime minister Boris Johnson moved approval of that agreement. However in a surprising and unexpected counter move Parliament instead passed, by 322 to 306, Sir Oliver Letwin's amendment to
2415-595: A press conference at a police training school in Wakefield, West Yorkshire , Johnson said he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than request an extension to Article 50. Johnson was criticised by the Police Federation of England and Wales , West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson and Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee Yvette Cooper among others for using
2576-595: A private lunch at the Spectator in 1999 and that another woman had told her he had done the same to her. A spokesman denied the allegation. In 2004, Johnson published an editorial in The Spectator after the murder of Ken Bigley suggesting that Liverpudlians were wallowing in their victim status and "hooked on grief" over the Hillsborough disaster , which Johnson partly blamed on "drunken fans". In an appendix added to
2737-462: A quote which he falsely attributed to the historian Colin Lucas , his godfather. After the paper's editor, Charles Wilson , learnt of the matter, he dismissed Johnson. Johnson secured employment on the lead-writing desk of The Daily Telegraph , having met its editor, Max Hastings , while at university. His articles appealed to the newspaper's Conservative-voting " Middle England " readership, and he
2898-590: A relationship with childhood friend Marina Wheeler , who had moved to Brussels in 1990. They were married in May 1993. Soon after, Marina gave birth to a daughter. Johnson and his new wife settled in Islington , north London, an area known for its association with the left-liberal intelligentsia . Under the influence of this milieu and of his wife, Johnson moved in a more liberal direction on issues such as climate change , LGBT rights and race relations. While in Islington,
3059-467: A request for an extension as required by the Act alongside another letter that declared the request invalid; former Supreme Court justice Lord Sumption described such an act, in the face of judicial action, as a possible contempt of court that would risk the resignations of the law officers in his Cabinet, while former Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald said Johnson was risking imprisonment for
3220-598: A result, he earned the mistrust of many party members. His writings were also a key influence on the emergence of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party (UKIP) in the early 1990s. Conrad Black , then proprietor of The Daily Telegraph , said Johnson "was such an effective correspondent for us in Brussels that he greatly influenced British opinion on this country's relations with Europe". In February 1990, Johnson's wife Allegra broke up with him; after several attempts at reconciliation, their marriage ended in April 1993. He began
3381-425: A shed without obtaining planning permission ; after neighbours complained, he dismantled it. The press also accused him of having an affair with Helen Macintyre and of fathering her child, allegations that he did not deny. Johnson was accused of warning Damian Green that police were planning to arrest him; Johnson denied the claims. He was accused of cronyism , in particular for appointing Veronica Wadley as
SECTION 20
#17328522119233542-601: A snap general election to be held in December 2019, in which he won a landslide victory . During Johnson's premiership , the government responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by introducing various emergency powers to mitigate its impact and approved a nationwide vaccination programme . He also responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine by imposing sanctions on Russia and authorising foreign aid and weapons shipments to Ukraine. In
3703-510: Is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He was previously Foreign Secretary from 2016 to 2018 and Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Henley from 2001 to 2008 and for Uxbridge and South Ruislip from 2015 to 2023. In his youth Johnson attended Eton College and Balliol College, Oxford , and he
3864-723: Is a laugh." The campaign of Labour incumbent Ken Livingstone portrayed Johnson as an out-of-touch toff and bigot. In the election, Johnson received 43% and Livingstone 37% of first-preference votes; when second-preference votes were added, Johnson was victorious with 53% to Livingstone's 47%. Johnson subsequently announced his intention to stand down as MP for Henley. After Johnson became mayor, those in City Hall deemed too closely allied to Livingstone's administration had their employment terminated. Johnson appointed Tim Parker as his deputy mayor, but after Parker began taking increasing control at City Hall, Johnson dismissed him. Many in
4025-555: Is confiscating their toys. It is like one of those vast Indian programmes of compulsory vasectomy ." According to one of his biographers, Sonia Purnell , – who was Johnson's Brussels deputy – he helped make Euroscepticism "an attractive and emotionally resonant cause for the Right", whereas it had been associated previously with the Left. Johnson's articles exacerbated tensions between the Conservative Party's Eurosceptic and Europhile factions. As
4186-409: Is unlikely to grace any future Tory cabinet. Indeed, he is not known for his excessive interest in serious policy matters, and it is hard to see him grubbing away at administrative detail as an obscure, hardworking junior minister for social security. To maintain his funny man reputation he will no doubt find himself refining his Bertie Wooster interpretation to the point where the impersonation becomes
4347-409: The 2005 general election , Johnson was re-elected MP for Henley. Labour won the election and Howard stood down as Conservative leader; Johnson backed David Cameron as his successor. After Cameron was elected, he appointed Johnson as the shadow higher education minister. Interested in streamlining university funding, Johnson supported Labour's proposed top-up fees . He campaigned in 2006 to become
4508-627: The 2008 United States presidential election . Johnson appointed himself chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), and in October 2008 successfully pushed for the resignation of Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair , after Blair was criticised for allegedly handing contracts to friends and for his handling of the death of Jean Charles de Menezes . This earned Johnson respect among Conservatives, who interpreted it as his first act of strength. Johnson resigned as chairman of
4669-432: The 2012 Olympic Games , but was accused of trying to take credit for them. He introduced a public bicycle scheme that had been mooted by Livingstone's administration; colloquially known as " Boris Bikes ", the part privately financed system was a significant financial loss but proved popular. Despite Johnson's support of cycling, and his much-publicised identity as a cyclist, some cycling groups argued he had failed to make
4830-540: The Bullingdon Club , an exclusive drinking society notorious for vandalism. Many years later, a group photograph including himself and Cameron in Bullingdon Club formal dress led to much negative press coverage. While at Oxford, he began a relationship with Allegra Mostyn-Owen , cover girl for Tatler magazine and daughter of Christie's Education chairman William Mostyn-Owen . They became engaged. Johnson
4991-657: The Church of England . School reports complained about his idleness, complacency, and lateness, but he was popular at Eton. Johnson's friends were largely from the wealthy upper classes; his best friends were Darius Guppy and Charles Spencer . Both would go on to accompany him at the University of Oxford and remained his friends into adulthood. Johnson excelled in English and the Classics , winning prizes in both, and became secretary of
European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019 - Misplaced Pages Continue
5152-627: The Democratic Unionist Party to enact their legislative agenda. The Brexit withdrawal agreement was published in November 2018, and was rejected three times by Parliament in early 2019 . Facing the prospect of leaving the EU without a deal , Parliament voted to also reject a "no deal" scenario and to request an extension to the Article 50 process with the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2019 . The Government and
5313-502: The European Council subsequently agreed to delay Brexit, until 12 April 2019 in the first instance, and then to 31 October 2019. Due to opposition from her own party to her handling of Brexit, May resigned as Leader of the Conservative Party on 7 June 2019 and prime minister on 24 July 2019. She was succeeded after the following leadership election as leader and prime minister by Boris Johnson , who pledged, "do or die", to withdraw
5474-655: The European School, Brussels I and learnt to speak French. Charlotte had a nervous breakdown and was hospitalised with depression, after which Johnson and his siblings were sent back to the UK in 1975 to attend Ashdown House , a preparatory boarding school in East Sussex. There, he developed interests in rugby , Ancient Greek , and Latin . In December 1978 his parents' relationship broke down; they divorced in 1980, and Charlotte moved to Notting Hill , London, where her children joined her for much of their time. As
5635-633: The London School of Economics . In 1970, Charlotte and the children briefly returned to Nethercote, where Johnson attended Winsford Village School, before returning to London to settle in Primrose Hill , where they were educated at Primrose Hill Primary School. A fourth child, Joseph , was born in late 1971. After Stanley secured employment at the European Commission in April 1973, he moved his family to Uccle , Brussels, where Johnson attended
5796-669: The Partygate scandal it was found that numerous parties had been held at 10 Downing Street during national COVID-19 lockdowns , and COVID-19 social distancing laws were breached by 83 individuals, including Johnson, who in April 2022 was issued with a fixed penalty notice . The publishing of the Sue Gray report in May 2022 and a widespread sense of dissatisfaction led in June 2022 to a vote of confidence in his leadership amongst Conservative MPs, which he won. In July 2022, revelations over his appointment of Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip of
5957-604: The Rector of the University of Edinburgh , but his support for top-up fees damaged his campaign, and he came third. In April 2006, the News of the World alleged that Johnson was having an affair with journalist Anna Fazackerley; the pair did not comment, and shortly afterwards Johnson began employing Fazackerley. In September 2006, Papua New Guinea's High Commission protested after he compared
6118-630: The United Kingdom from the European Union The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (c. 16) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to repeal the European Communities Act 1972 , and for parliamentary approval to be required for any withdrawal agreement negotiated between the Government of the United Kingdom and the European Union . Initially proposed as the Great Repeal Bill , its passage through both Houses of Parliament
6279-512: The United Kingdom voted in a referendum to leave the European Union by a margin of 52% to 48%. Nine months later, on 29 March 2017, the Government, by then led by Theresa May , invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union , after Parliament voted to approve the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017 by a vote of 498 to 114. After a General Election in June 2017 , May's Conservative Party lost their majority, but were supported by
6440-512: The Withdrawal Agreement into domestic law after the United Kingdom formally left the European Union . The Act is made in connection with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019, the second anniversary of notice of withdrawal under Article 50 (2) of the Treaty on European Union . The Act provides for ratifying and implementing the agreement setting out
6601-600: The articulated buses with an updated version of the AEC Routemaster . Targeting the Conservative-leaning suburbs of outer London , it capitalised on perceptions that the Labour Mayoralty had neglected them in favour of inner London . His campaign emphasised his popularity, even among those who opposed his policies, with opponents complaining a common attitude among voters was: "I'm voting for Boris because he
European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019 - Misplaced Pages Continue
6762-526: The eponymous constituency , becoming the presumed choice for Deputy First Minister , but announced that the DUP leadership team would decide if he would take that seat, (and thus call a by-election for his Westminster seat). On 12 May, the day before the first scheduled sitting day of the Assembly, Donaldson announced his decision to remain as an MP, and formally co-opted former MP for Belfast South and MLA for Belfast South , Emma Little-Pengelly , to take his seat in
6923-484: The financial crisis of 2007–08 , condemning the anti-capitalist Occupy London movement that appeared in 2011. He collected donations from the city's wealthy for a charitable enterprise, the Mayor's Fund, which he had established to aid disadvantaged youths. It initially announced the fund would raise £100 million, but by 2010 it had only earnt £1.5 million. He also maintained extensive personal contacts throughout
7084-571: The second reading . The second reading and debate on the bill began on 7 September 2017. The debate and second reading resumed on 11 September. Shortly after midnight on 12 September, the second reading passed by a margin of 326 to 290, a majority of 36 votes, after an amendment proposed by the Labour Party was rejected by a margin of 318 to 296. A motion to put the Bill under eight days of Committee scrutiny passed by 318 to 301. The committee stage
7245-527: The 'no deal' possibility. David Davis, who as Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union had introduced the Act as a bill in Parliament, and who had attended the Cabinet meeting at Chequers on 6 July, resigned on 8 July, saying in his resignation letter, "In my view the inevitable consequence of the proposed policies will be to make the supposed control by Parliament illusory rather than real." The next day,
7406-482: The Act enables the transposition of directly-applicable already-existing EU law into UK law , and so "create a new category of domestic law for the United Kingdom: retained EU law " (also known as "REUL"). It also gives the government some restricted power to adapt and remove laws that are no longer relevant. It makes future ratification of the withdrawal agreement, as a treaty between the UK and EU, depend upon
7567-421: The Act that came into force immediately when the Act passed into law on 26 June 2018, as listed in section 25 (1), include: Subsections (2) and (3) relate to the devolved administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Subsection (4) provides for bringing into force by government regulation the remaining provisions of the Act, including: No regulation for bringing any of those provisions into force
7728-407: The Act the agreement is called the withdrawal agreement. The Act provides ( section 13 ) that before the withdrawal agreement can be ratified, as a treaty between the United Kingdom and the European Union, an act of Parliament must have been passed which provides for its implementation. The Act allows ( section 9 ) regulations to be made and in force on or before exit day for the purpose of implementing
7889-554: The Act was denied. The Outer House of the Court of Session ruled that there was no "reasonable apprehension of a breach of statutory duty" and that, in the light of averments before the Court that the Government would comply with the act, there was no need for a coercive order to enforce compliance. On 9 October, the Inner House of the Court of Session decided that a final ruling on the petition would not be made until 21 October—two days after
8050-520: The Act were triggered if the House of Commons did not give its consent to either a withdrawal agreement or leaving without a deal by 19 October 2019. The Act proposed a new withdrawal date of 31 January 2020, which the Prime Minister accepted if the proposal was accepted by the European Council . The Act also contained provisions that detailed the course of action if an alternative date were proposed by
8211-529: The Act's effect. On 19 October, Johnson sent the letter to the president of the European Council Donald Tusk requesting an extension to the Brexit withdrawal date per the Act. This was formally approved on 28 October. On 30 October 2019, the day named as "exit day" in UK legislation was accordingly changed to 31 January 2020 at 11.00 p.m. The Act was repealed on 23 January 2020 by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 . In June 2016,
SECTION 50
#17328522119238372-552: The Act) to update the definition of "exit day" to align with extensions to Article 50. Exit day was first varied to 12 April 2019, 22 May, and then to 31 October 2019. It was also amended by the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019 (the "Benn Act") to make such amendments mandatory rather than discretionary. Before exit day, case law emanating from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU, formerly and still commonly known as
8533-470: The Act, but reiterated the Government's commitment to leaving the EU on 31 October. On 12 September 2019, an application was made to the Court of Session in Scotland by Jo Maugham QC and Joanna Cherry QC MP to require the Prime Minister to sign the extension letter in the event no withdrawal agreement could be agreed in time. The applicants hoped that the Court's power of nobile officium , unique among UK courts, would enable it to send
8694-495: The Assembly. The DUP refused to assent to the election of a Speaker , in further protest to the Northern Ireland Protocol, so the Assembly could not continue to other business including the appointment of a fresh executive . After the Act became law on 26 June 2018, the European Council decided on 29 June to renew its call on member states and union institutions to step up their work on preparedness at all levels and for all outcomes. The Democratic Unionist Party , whose support
8855-402: The British media, which resulted in widespread favourable press coverage of his administration. In turn he remained largely supportive of his friends in the media, including Rupert Murdoch , during the News International phone hacking scandal . The formation of the Forensic Audit Panel was announced on 8 May 2008. The panel was tasked with monitoring and investigating financial management at
9016-455: The British permanent representative in Brussels, together with a cover note signed by himself which affirmed that the first letter complied with the Act. On 22 October, the legislation to implement the withdrawal agreement—the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill—was approved in the Commons (second reading) by 329 votes to 299. However, the accompanying "programme motion", to get all stages of the bill completed in three days and thus before 31 October,
9177-423: The Cabinet had discussed at Chequers was published as a White Paper on 12 July 2018 for debate in the House of Commons the following week. While the President of the United States was on a visit to the United Kingdom on 13 July 2018, a comment by him that the UK would probably not get a trade deal with the US if the prime minister's plan went ahead was widely published in the media. The government confirmed in
9338-515: The Commons on numerous occasions. Johnson resigned his position as MP the same day. Johnson is a controversial figure in British politics. His supporters have praised him for being humorous, witty and entertaining, with an appeal reaching beyond traditional Conservative Party voters, viewing him as an electoral asset to the party. Conversely, his critics have accused him of lying, elitism , cronyism and bigotry . During his premiership his supporters praised him for " getting Brexit done ", overseeing
9499-513: The Conservative Party initially distanced themselves from Johnson's administration, fearing it would be damaging for the 2010 general election . During the campaign, Johnson had confided to Brian Paddick he was unsure how he would maintain his lifestyle on the mayoral salary of £140,000 a year. He agreed to continue his Daily Telegraph column, thus earning a further £250,000 a year. His team believed this would cause controversy and made him promise to donate 20% of his Daily Telegraph salary to
9660-423: The Conservatives' frequently changing leadership to cannibalism in the country . In 2005, The Spectator ' s new chief executive, Andrew Neil , dismissed Johnson as editor. To make up for this loss of income, Johnson negotiated with The Daily Telegraph to raise his salary from £200,000 to £250,000, averaging £5,000 per column. He presented a popular history television show, The Dream of Rome , which
9821-420: The ECJ) is binding on UK courts. The Act will have ECJ case law retained as part of the law, but it will no longer be binding on the courts and tribunals of the United Kingdom. The legislation permits courts to depart from ECJ caselaw after applying the same test as they would apply in deciding whether to depart from their own case law. The Act makes explicit in section 5 that the Charter of Fundamental Rights of
SECTION 60
#17328522119239982-453: The European Council with a request for an extension of withdrawal until 31 January 2020. Prime minister Boris Johnson sent two letters to the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk : one, which was stated to be from the UK prime minister but was not signed, referred to the requirements of the Benn Act and requested an extension until 31 January 2020; the other, signed personally by Johnson and copied to all Council members, stated that it
10143-444: The European Council, required regular reports on the progress of any negotiations between the EU and the UK, and set out the format of the letter the Prime Minister was required to send to the President of the European Council should he be required to seek an extension. It also removed the discretion of the Prime Minister not to amend exit day in response to an extension. The Act was given Royal Assent on 9 September 2019 and commenced
10304-485: The European Union will cease to be a part of UK law after Brexit. Repeal of other Acts include: Amendments to other Acts include: The "Interpretation of retained EU law" section defines and names some concepts: The reference to future changes and exceptions concerns the principle of primacy of European Union law which "does not apply to any enactment or rule of law passed or made on or after exit day", but "continues to apply on or after exit day so far as relevant to
10465-420: The European Union (Wales) Act 2018 , which became law on 6 June 2018 and was repealed shortly afterwards on 22 November 2018. The Scottish Parliament passed the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill 2018 on 21 March 2018, to prepare Scots law for Brexit, but was referred for scrutiny to the Supreme Court under section 33 of the Scotland Act 1998 , to determine whether
10626-450: The European Union . In March 2017, a report by Thomson Reuters identified 52,741 pieces of legislation that have been passed since 1990. Transferring European legislation into British law is the quickest way to ensure continuity. These may refer to EU institutions that the UK will no longer belong to, or use phrasing assuming that the UK is an EU member state, and hence they cannot simply be directly converted into law. Redrafting all of
10787-400: The European Union on 31 January 2020, with a transitional arrangement aligning the UK to EU rules ending on 31 December that year. A trade deal, the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement , setting the terms of the future relationship between the EU and UK was agreed on 24 December 2020, subject to approval by national legislatures. European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 Withdrawal of
10948-426: The House of Commons in November 2017, completed all stages there in July 2018 and passed from the Commons to the House of Lords : the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill on 16 July, and the Trade Bill on 17 July. The government stated that the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Act 2018, which became law on 19 July 2018, would apply to a permit scheme for international road haulage and was made in connection with
11109-404: The House of Commons on 19 July 2018 that the UK would be leaving the EU on 29 March 2019, as stated in the Withdrawal Act and the White Paper. The first meeting of Dominic Raab, the newly appointed UK Secretary of State, with the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, was in Brussels later on the same day (19 July 2018). Raab offered to meet Barnier throughout August to "intensify" talks, while both
11270-399: The House of Commons, announced she had entered discussions with other parties to gather support for impeachment if Johnson refused to obey the law. Impeachment is an arcane parliamentary procedure that has never been successfully levelled towards a prime minister or a Cabinet Minister; the last individual to be impeached was Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville for his actions as Treasurer of
11431-429: The House of Commons, the prime minister , Boris Johnson , would immediately bring forward a motion under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act for a general election . The bill passed second reading by 329 votes to 300. The bill was amended once at the committee stage, by a Stephen Kinnock amendment that would allow the Withdrawal Agreement to be discussed again, which passed as there were not any 'no' tellers provided for
11592-551: The Inner House. The campaigners conceded that Johnson had fulfilled the requirement of the Act that he write seeking an extension, but contended that his second letter negated the first. The Court refused the government's request to dismiss the case, deciding that it should remain before the Court "until it is clear that the obligations under [the Benn Act] have been complied with in full". On 7 October, government lawyers had undertaken to
11753-719: The MPA in January 2010, but throughout his mayoralty was highly supportive of the Metropolitan Police, particularly during the controversy surrounding the death of Ian Tomlinson . Overall crime in London fell during his administration, but his claim that serious youth crime had decreased proved to be false, and he acknowledged the error. He was criticised for his response to the 2011 London riots . Johnson championed London's financial sector and denounced what he saw as "banker bashing" following
11914-600: The Navy in 1806, though he was acquitted. Plaid Cymru had spearheaded the last serious impeachment attempt, an unsuccessful 2004 effort to indict then-Prime Minister Tony Blair for lying to Parliament regarding the Iraq War . Johnson, then a member of the opposition frontbench , was another high-profile supporter of the effort to impeach Blair and wrote a column in The Daily Telegraph that accused him of "treating Parliament and
12075-548: The Outer House that Johnson would abide by all requirements of the Act. These included responding to the EU's reaction to his letter. Any breach of that undertaking could have placed Johnson in contempt of the Court. The Prime Minister's description of the law as a "Surrender Act" in Parliament was criticised by Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff , who said his language was unnecessarily inflammatory and said that opposition politicians routinely received death threats that similarly called
12236-539: The Queen; such orders are typically made for technical reasons—such as regulating the medical profession—and not to disapply statute law. The option to use Orders of Council would likely utilise provisions of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 that allow for the Government, in times of emergency, to temporarily disapply laws. The following afternoon, 10 Downing Street denied Johnson would use Orders of Council to bypass
12397-640: The Scotland Act), partly due to inherent conflict with section 28(7) of the Scotland Act, and partly due to conflict with the subsequently passed and enacted European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 while the Scottish Bill was under review, and that the bill as far as that section is concerned is, therefore, 'not law'. The governments of Scotland and of the United Kingdom differed sharply on the outcome. The (UK) Secretary of State for Scotland , David Mundell , said
12558-676: The Stump , recounted that year's election campaign, while 2003's Lend Me Your Ears collected previously published columns and articles. In 2004, HarperCollins published his first novel: Seventy-Two Virgins: A Comedy of Errors revolved around the life of a Conservative MP and contained autobiographical elements. Responding to criticism that he was juggling too many jobs, he cited Winston Churchill and Benjamin Disraeli as exemplars who combined political and literary careers. To manage stress, he took up jogging and cycling, and became so well known for
12719-563: The UK and EU were insisting that reaching agreement by the autumn on the UK withdrawal in March 2019 was still very much on the cards. In October 2016 the Prime Minister, Theresa May , promised a "Great Repeal Bill", which would repeal the European Communities Act 1972 and restate in UK law all enactments previously in force under EU law. It would smooth the transition by ensuring that all laws remain in force until specifically repealed. The Repeal Bill plan , officially known as Legislating for
12880-469: The UK from the EU on 31 October, with or without a deal. On 28 August 2019, Johnson advised Queen Elizabeth II to prorogue Parliament from the second week of September 2019 until 14 October 2019, days before a scheduled summit of the European Council on 17 October. The prorogation reduced the amount of time that was available to Parliament to scrutinise Government business, and was criticised outwith
13041-418: The UK's COVID-19 vaccination programme, which was amongst the fastest in the world, and being one of the first world leaders to offer humanitarian support to Ukraine following the Russian invasion of the country. His tenure also encompassed several controversies and scandals, and is viewed as the most scandalous premiership of modern times by historians and biographers alike. Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson
13202-570: The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union ( Cm 9446) , was a UK Government white paper setting out the Government's proposals for repealing the European Communities Act 1972 and how to maintain a fully functioning statute book after the United Kingdom had left the European Union . It was published on 30 March 2017 (the day after the UK triggered Article 50 ) by the Department for Exiting
13363-535: The United States ) . Johnson's parents returned to the UK in September 1964 so Charlotte could study at the University of Oxford . She lived with her son in Summertown, Oxford , and in September 1965 she gave birth to a daughter, Rachel . In July 1965, the family moved to Crouch End in north London , and in February 1966 they relocated to Washington, DC, where Stanley worked with the World Bank . Stanley then took
13524-408: The World journalist Stuart Collier, and he asked Johnson to provide him with Collier's private address, seeking to have the latter beaten. Johnson agreed, although he expressed concern that he would be associated with the attack. When the phone conversation was published, Johnson stated that ultimately he had not obliged Guppy's request. Hastings reprimanded Johnson but did not dismiss him. Johnson
13685-456: The bill also prevents devolved administrations from making changes that are "inconsistent" with those made by the UK government. This significantly limits the power of the devolved governments by making it impossible for them to, for example, choose to retain a piece of EU law that has been modified by the UK government. The National Assembly for Wales in response passed the Law Derived from
13846-479: The bill then said " 'exit day' means 29 March 2019 at 11.00 p.m". To avoid a second possible defeat, the government accepted a further amendment that "A Minister of the Crown may by regulations amend the definition of 'exit day ' ", allowing for flexibility in the event of a transitional deal, or extra time being needed in the negotiations. Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964)
14007-502: The bill to clear the Lords by 5 pm on Friday 6 September; Conservative peers tabled 102 amendments to the guillotine motion in an attempt to prioritise other parliamentary business over the bill. By 1:30 am on 5 September, the Government announced it would discontinue the filibuster and allow the bill to return to the House of Commons, if amended by the House of Lords, for the 9 September sitting. The bill passed second reading without
14168-403: The bill, and one of these provided Theresa May's government with its first defeat on government business, as MPs voted by 309 to 305 to give Parliament a legal guarantee of a vote on the final Brexit deal struck with Brussels. The government had originally suggested that as the bill will be a major focus of the parliamentary debate on Brexit as a whole, it would provide an alternative to a vote on
14329-485: The chair of London's Arts Council . In the parliamentary expenses scandal , he was accused of excessive expenses claims for taxis. Johnson remained a popular figure in London with a strong celebrity status in the city. Johnson made no major changes to the mayoral system of the previous administration. However, he did reverse several other measures implemented by Livingstone: ending the city's oil deal with Venezuela, abolishing The Londoner newsletter, and scrapping
14490-472: The city's few Eurosceptic journalists. He wrote articles about euromyths : that Brussels had recruited sniffer dogs to ensure that all manure smelt the same, they were about to dictate the acceptable curve of British bananas, limit the power of their vacuum cleaners and order women to return their old sex toys. He wrote that euro notes made people impotent and that a plan to blow up the Berlaymont building
14651-788: The city's roads safer for cyclists. As per his election pledge, he commissioned the development of the New Routemaster buses for central London. He also ordered the construction of a cable car system that crossed the River Thames between the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks . Johnson's first policy initiative was a ban on drinking alcohol on public transport. He announced plans to extend pay-as-you-go Oyster cards to national rail services in London. A pledge in Johnson's manifesto
14812-458: The couple had three more children, all given the surname Johnson-Wheeler. They were sent to the local Canonbury Primary School and then to private secondary schools. Devoting much time to his children, Johnson wrote a book of verse, The Perils of the Pushy Parents: A Cautionary Tale , which was published to largely poor reviews. Back in London, Hastings turned down Johnson's request to become
14973-588: The court had "provided much-needed legal clarity" that the bill "goes beyond the powers of the Scottish Parliament", but Scotland's Brexit Secretary Michael Russell argued that the UK government had "changed the rules of the game midway through the match" in an "act of constitutional vandalism". In Northern Ireland , the Northern Ireland Assembly had been suspended and the province has been without devolved government from 9 January 2017, for
15134-501: The crowds at the Hillsborough disaster had contributed to the incident and that Liverpudlians had a predilection for reliance on the welfare state . In November 2004, the tabloids revealed that since 2000 Johnson had been having an affair with Spectator columnist Petronella Wyatt , resulting in two abortions. Johnson denied the allegations but they were subsequently proven to be true, and Howard dismissed him as vice-chairman and shadow arts minister when he refused to resign. At
15295-470: The deadline in the Act for the Prime Minister to request an extension. Separately in the Inner House, the campaigners requested a ruling that, if such a letter came to be required and Johnson failed to write it, the Court would write the letter itself using nobile officium powers. Following a special sitting of Parliament on Saturday 19 October, the Benn Act required the prime minister immediately to write to
15456-413: The deal agreed in the Brexit negotiations. However, on 13 November 2017 the government announced that it would introduce a separate Withdrawal Agreement and Implementation Bill to deal separately with examining an agreement from the negotiations between the UK and EU, if any is reached, which would provide Parliament with a vote, but this did not prevent the amendment to the bill being passed. The repeal
15617-481: The devolved administrations receiving new powers as the UK leaves the EU. In devolved administrations , the powers previously exercised by the EU in relation to the United Kingdom common framework policies would return to the UK, allowing the rules to be set in the UK by Westminster representatives. Ministers of devolved administrations would be given the power to amend devolved legislation to correct law that would not operate appropriately following Brexit. However,
15778-429: The division. The bill passed its third reading on the same day, by 327 votes to 299. The bill then moved to the House of Lords on the same day, and there were suggestions that the bill could be filibustered ; unlike in the House of Commons, the House of Lords typically does not restrict the content of debates. The Shadow Leader of the House of Lords , Baroness Angela Smith , tabled a guillotine motion that would allow
15939-591: The extension letter on Johnson's behalf if he declined to do so. Cherry, the justice spokeswoman for the Scottish National Party , and Maugham had successfully brought a case before the Court of Session to challenge Johnson's prorogation of Parliament, which had delivered a judgment that declared it unlawful on the previous day. On 24 September 2019, the Supreme Court ruled in R (Miller) v The Prime Minister and Cherry v Advocate General for Scotland that
16100-401: The following: The Act's section 13 contains a set of mandatory procedures for Parliament's approval to the various possible outcomes of the government's negotiations with the EU. One outcome is that there will be an agreement between the United Kingdom and the EU under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union which sets out the arrangements for the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU. In
16261-421: The form of a letter to request an extension of the negotiating period: On 3 September 2019, Conservative MP Oliver Letwin tabled a motion that would allow the House of Commons to undertake proceedings on the second reading, committee stage, consideration and third reading of a backbench Brexit bill on the following day. The motion was passed with a majority of 27. A total of 21 Conservative MPs voted in favour of
16422-404: The framework agreement for future relations, depending on what they contain. The procedure could prevent ratification, but in exceptional cases a government may ratify a treaty without consulting Parliament. Alternatively ( section 13 (10) ), if by Monday 21 January 2019 – less than eleven weeks before the mandatory negotiating period ends on Friday 29 March – there is no agreement in principle in
16583-457: The government as a tactic to force a "no deal" Brexit without the consent of Parliament: in particular the Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow called prorogation in the circumstances a "constitutional outrage"; and protestors at an impromptu demonstration saw the government as effecting a coup d'état or self-coup . The Act contained four substantive sections and a schedule that contained
16744-401: The government needed to maintain a majority in key Commons votes, said on 2 July 2018 it would not support any deal which did not give the UK full control over its borders. After a meeting to discuss the latest development of the negotiations, when the European Union's chief negotiator Michel Barnier repeatedly told the Prime Minister the EU would not agree to discuss trade until an agreement
16905-452: The government's aim in the negotiations to develop the existing international access for commercial road haulage. On 4 September 2018, the Taxation (Cross-Border Trade) Bill passed its second reading, committee stages and third reading in the House of Lords, and later became law after receiving Royal Assent on 13 September. The government published in March 2018 a provisional analysis about
17066-581: The half-yearly inspections of black cabs , which was reinstated three years later. Abolishing the western wing of the congestion charging zone, he cancelled plans to increase the congestion charge for four-wheel-drive vehicles . He was subsequently accused of failing to publish an independent report on air pollution commissioned by the Greater London Authority , which revealed the city breached legal limits on nitrogen dioxide levels. Johnson retained Livingstone projects such as Crossrail and
17227-551: The interpretation, disapplication or quashing of any enactment or rule of law passed or made before exit day". In addition, there are specific interpretative exceptions for the rule in Francovich (which allows compensation for not transposing EU directives into domestic law), and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union . Two bills that allow for various outcomes including no negotiated settlement, that were introduced in
17388-507: The latter that Gimson suggested he was "perhaps the most famous cyclist in Britain". Following William Hague 's resignation as Conservative leader, the party elected Iain Duncan Smith . Johnson had a strained relationship with Duncan Smith, and The Spectator became critical of his party leadership. Duncan Smith was succeeded by Michael Howard in November 2003; Howard deemed Johnson to be
17549-400: The law a "Surrender Act" and accused MPs of "betrayal" and that Johnson should moderate his language; Johnson received heckles of "shame" when he described Sherriff's comments as " humbug ". Tracy Brabin , the then MP for the neighbouring constituency of Batley and Spen , also asked Johnson for moderation to prevent violence against MPs; her predecessor, Jo Cox , was murdered in June 2016 by
17710-402: The law, Secretary of State for Justice Robert Buckland stated on 8 September he had discussions with Johnson over the importance of the rule of law —which Buckland, as Lord Chancellor , has a legal obligation to uphold—but denied rumours he would resign from the Cabinet if Johnson did break the law. By 9 September, reports surfaced that the Government would seek to bypass the law by sending
17871-457: The local air ambulance . In Parliament, Johnson was appointed to a standing committee assessing the Proceeds of Crime Bill , but missed many of its meetings. Despite his credentials as a public speaker, his speeches in the House of Commons were widely deemed lacklustre. He attended around half of Commons votes, usually supporting the Conservative party line . In free votes , he demonstrated
18032-475: The local area. Assisted by his television fame, Johnson won the seat in the 2001 general election . Alongside his Islington home, Johnson bought a farmhouse outside Thame in his new constituency. He regularly attended Henley social events and occasionally wrote for the Henley Standard . His constituency surgeries proved popular, and he joined local campaigns to stop the closure of Townlands Hospital and
18193-701: The magazine's circulation grew by 10% to 62,000 and it became profitable. His editorship also drew criticism; some opined that under him The Spectator avoided serious issues, while colleagues became annoyed that he was regularly absent from the office, meetings, and events. He gained a reputation as a poor political pundit because of incorrect political predictions. His father-in-law Charles Wheeler and others strongly criticised him for allowing Spectator columnist Taki Theodoracopulos to publish racist and antisemitic language. Journalist Charlotte Edwardes wrote in The Times in 2019 that Johnson had squeezed her thigh at
18354-478: The man. –Max Hastings, London Evening Standard , Following Michael Heseltine 's retirement, Johnson decided to stand as Conservative candidate for Henley , a Conservative safe seat in Oxfordshire . The local Conservative branch selected him although it was split over Johnson's candidacy. Some thought him amusing and charming while others disliked his flippant attitude and perceived lack of knowledge of
18515-467: The most popular Conservative politician with the electorate and appointed him vice-chairman of the party, responsible for overseeing its electoral campaign. In his Shadow Cabinet reshuffle of May 2004, Howard appointed Johnson as shadow arts minister. In October, Howard ordered Johnson to apologise publicly in Liverpool for publishing a Spectator article – anonymously written by Simon Heffer – which said
18676-685: The motion and against the Government ; this led to the whip being withdrawn from the rebels , and pushed the government further away from a majority (after Conservative MP Phillip Lee lost the government its working majority of 1 earlier in the day by defecting to the Liberal Democrats ). The rebels included the Father of the House and former Chancellor of the Exchequer , Ken Clarke , eight other Cabinet ministers under Cameron and May, and Winston Churchill 's grandson, Nicholas Soames . In response to
18837-413: The motion, to delay consideration of the agreement until the legislation to implement it has been passed; the motion was then carried as amended, implementing Letwin's delay. This delay activated the Act, requiring the prime minister immediately to write to the European Council with a request for an extension of withdrawal until 31 January 2020. Later on that day, prime minister Johnson sent two letters to
18998-516: The negotiations on the substance of the withdrawal arrangements and the framework for the future relationship between the EU and the United Kingdom, the government must publish a statement setting out how the government proposes to proceed, and must arrange for debate about that in Parliament within days. "Under the Standing Orders of the House of Commons it will be for the Speaker to determine whether
19159-542: The parliament had legislative competence to pass such a bill; pending that judgement, Royal Assent was not sought. The hearing began on 24 July 2018. On 13 December 2018, the Supreme Court ruled section 17 of the Bill to be outwith the legal competence of the Scottish Parliament under the Scotland Act 1998 , partly because it attempted to amend the Scotland Act 1998 itself (prohibited by Schedule 4 of
19320-544: The party while knowing of allegations of sexual misconduct against him led to a mass resignation of members of his government and to Johnson announcing his resignation as prime minister. He was succeeded as prime minister by Liz Truss , his foreign secretary. He remained in the House of Commons as a backbencher until June 2023, when he received the draft of the Commons Privileges Committee investigation into his conduct that unanimously found that he had lied to
19481-482: The position in 2018 in protest at both the Chequers Agreement and May's approach to Brexit. Johnson succeeded May as prime minister. He re-opened Brexit negotiations with the EU and in early September he prorogued Parliament ; the Supreme Court later ruled the prorogation to have been unlawful. After agreeing to a revised Brexit withdrawal agreement but failing to win parliamentary support , Johnson called
19642-519: The powers were divided between two clauses. Clause 7 made provision for ministers to correct "deficiencies" in law (including references to EU institutions that the UK is no longer a member of, EU treaties that are no longer relevant, and redundancies), expiring two years after the UK leaves the EU. These proposed powers could not be used to make secondary legislation for Clause 9 of the bill offered ministers unusually broad powers to make changes to legislation. Although some safeguards were included to limit
19803-523: The president of the European Council, Donald Tusk : one, which was stated to be from the UK prime minister but was not signed, referred to the requirements of the Act and requested an extension until 31 January 2020; the other, signed personally by Johnson and copied to all Council members, stated that it was his own belief that a delay would be a mistake and requested support from the president and Council members for his continuing efforts to ensure withdrawal without an extension. The letters were delivered by
19964-522: The prime minister appointed Dominic Raab as Brexit Secretary. Later in the day, the resignation of the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson , who had also attended the Chequers Cabinet meeting, was made public. Within hours, the prime minister appointed Jeremy Hunt as Johnson's successor. The government's policy on the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union that
20125-470: The prior enactment of another Act of Parliament to approve the final terms of withdrawal when Brexit negotiations are completed. It fixed 21 January 2019 (at the latest) as the day on which the government must decide on how to proceed if the negotiations had not reached agreement in principle, on both the withdrawal arrangements and the framework for the future relationship between the UK and EU, and for parliamentary debate on this Government decision. The Act
20286-565: The prorogation was unlawful and void; as a response, Parliament was recalled to sit the following day. That morning, the Attorney General , Geoffrey Cox , said there was "no question of this government not obeying the law" with regard to the Act, and that the Government believed what legal obligations the Act contained was an open question. On 7 October 2019, the Cherry/Maugham petition to the Court of Session to force Johnson to comply with
20447-557: The public with contempt". On 26 September 2019, former Prime Minister John Major said in a speech to the Centre for European Reform that he "feared" that Johnson would use an Order of Council to nullify the Act until after 31 October. Orders of Council, in contrast to the similarly named Orders in Council , are decisions taken by the Privy Council alone, as opposed to with the consent of
20608-480: The same day. The bill was proposed by opposition and backbench MPs after Boris Johnson became prime minister. It was passed after they took control of the parliamentary agenda in the run-up to the controversial—and later ruled void— prorogation of Parliament . The Government fiercely opposed the bill, and Boris Johnson and other eurosceptics repeatedly referred to the Act as the " Surrender Act ". The Government had been suspected of examining options on how to nullify
20769-480: The same offence. In response, Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn tabled an emergency motion for debate on that day on the importance of the rule of law; the motion passed without a vote in a symbolic victory for the opposition, although the Government stated in the debate that their policy would be to not request an extension, despite the legal requirement to do so. Polling undertaken by YouGov over
20930-463: The school debating society and editor of the school newspaper. In late 1981, he became a member of Pop , a small, self-selecting elite group of school prefects. After leaving Eton, Johnson went on a gap year to Australia, where he taught English and Latin at Timbertop , an Outward Bound -inspired campus of Geelong Grammar , an independent boarding school. Johnson won a scholarship to read Literae humaniores at Balliol College, Oxford ,
21091-463: The situations in which law can be modified, for instance with the inclusion of sunset clauses , the provisions granting these powers were criticised for being too wide-ranging. On 13 July 2017, David Davis , the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union , introduced the bill in the House of Commons. As a government bill, this first reading was pro forma , with the first debate taking place on
21252-420: The speech for partisan purposes, thus bringing into question the impartiality of the police. In a press release on 6 September, Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police , John Robins, stated the speech was intended to announce new policing policy and the force was not given prior notice of the speech being expanded to include other matters. In response to continuing concerns of the possibility of Johnson breaking
21413-400: The suspension of the rebel MPs, Jo Johnson —Boris's brother—and Amber Rudd resigned from the Cabinet in protest shortly after. The legislation was introduced to the House of Commons by Labour MP Hilary Benn as the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill on the following day. The Government made clear its opposition to the bill from the beginning, and said that, were it to pass through
21574-403: The tens of thousands of laws affected and voting on them through Parliament would be an impossibly time-consuming process, so the bill included provisions, informally known as Henry VIII clauses , which would allow ministers to make secondary legislation to amend or remove these laws (both primary and secondary legislation) to resolve "deficiencies" by making statutory instruments . In the bill,
21735-399: The two-thirds supermajority of all MPs (434) needed to trigger an election; opposition parties either voted against or abstained on the motion as they believed the intention of the government was to ensure departure from the EU without a deal while Parliament was dissolved for such an election. On 9 September, a second attempt at triggering an early election failed 293–46. On 5 September, at
21896-498: The war, and in December 2006 described the invasion as "a colossal mistake and misadventure". Although labelling Johnson "ineffably duplicitous" for breaking his promise not to become an MP, Black decided not to dismiss him because he "helped promote the magazine and raise its circulation". Johnson remained editor of The Spectator , while also writing columns for The Daily Telegraph and GQ , and making television appearances. His 2001 book, Friends, Voters, Countrymen: Jottings on
22057-418: The weekend of 6–8 September 2019 indicated 50% of respondents disapproved and 28% of respondents approved of the proposition of Johnson breaching the law; Leave (52% in favour, 28% opposed) and Conservative (50%–34%) voters were most supportive whereas Remain (8%–77%), Liberal Democrat (11%–76%) and Labour (14%–69%) were the most opposed. On the same day, Liz Saville Roberts , the leader of Plaid Cymru in
22218-541: The withdrawal agreement, but only if by then an act of Parliament has been enacted "approving the final terms of withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU". An analysis of the process set out in the Act published by the Institute for Government discusses the procedure for approving treaties that is set out in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (CRAG) which may apply to the withdrawal agreement and
22379-475: The withdrawal arrangements. The mandatory period for negotiating the agreement is stated in the EU negotiating directives as ending "at the latest on 30 March 2019 at 00:00 ( Brussels time )" —i.e. Central European Time — "unless the European Council , in agreement with the United Kingdom, unanimously decides to extend this period in accordance with Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union". The Act legislates for
22540-474: Was elected mayor of London in 2008 and resigned from the House of Commons to focus his attention on the mayoralty. He was re-elected mayor in 2012 , but did not run for re-election in 2016 . At the 2015 general election he was elected MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Johnson was a prominent figure in the Brexit campaign in the 2016 EU membership referendum . After the referendum Prime Minister Theresa May appointed him foreign secretary. He resigned from
22701-487: Was awarded an upper second-class degree, and was deeply unhappy he did not receive a first. In September 1987, Johnson and Mostyn-Owen married. They settled in West Kensington , London. In late 1987, through family connections, he began work as a graduate trainee at The Times . Scandal erupted when Johnson wrote an article for the newspaper on the archaeological discovery of Edward II 's palace, having invented
22862-510: Was born on 19 June 1964 in the Upper East Side of Manhattan , New York City, to Stanley Johnson , then studying economics at Columbia University , and Charlotte Fawcett , an artist, whose father Sir James Fawcett , was a prominent barrister and president of the European Commission of Human Rights from 1972 to 1981. Johnson is one of only two British prime ministers to have been an American citizen (see Honorary citizenship of
23023-426: Was broadcast in January 2006; a book followed in February. A sequel, After Rome , focused on early Islamic history. In 2007, he earned £540,000, making him the third-highest-earning MP that year. In September, Johnson was selected as the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London after a public London-wide primary . Johnson's campaign focused on reducing youth crime, making public transport safer, and replacing
23184-565: Was completed on 20 June 2018 and it became law by Royal Assent on 26 June. The Act is to enable "cutting off the source of EU law in the UK ;... and remove the competence of EU institutions to legislate for the UK". The 2017–2019 Government of Theresa May regarded it as the most significant constitutional legislation to have been passed by Parliament since the European Communities Act itself in 1972. To provide legal continuity,
23345-467: Was consistently late delivering copy, forcing staff to stay late to accommodate him; some related that if they published without his work, he would shout at them with expletives. Johnson's April 1998 appearance on the BBC's satirical current affairs show Have I Got News for You brought him national fame. He was invited back on to later episodes, including as a guest presenter; for his 2003 appearance, Johnson
23506-399: Was defeated by 322 votes to 308 after MPs objected that this would not allow time for adequate consideration. On 28 October, the extension of the Brexit withdrawal date to 31 January 2020 was formally approved between the prime minister and the EU. He called for a general election on 12 December , which MPs voted for on 29 October, and Johnson went on to win an 80-seat majority. The UK left
23667-519: Was elected president of the Oxford Union in 1986. In 1989 he began writing for The Daily Telegraph , and from 1999 to 2005 he was the editor of The Spectator . He became a member of the Shadow Cabinet of Michael Howard in 2001 before being dismissed over a claim that he had lied about an extramarital affair. After Howard resigned Johnson became a member of David Cameron 's Shadow Cabinet . He
23828-422: Was found on the terms of withdrawal, the prime minister informed the House of Commons on 2 July 2018 that she warned EU leaders that she did not think Parliament will approve the withdrawal agreement in the autumn "unless we have clarity about our future relationship alongside it". This was followed by a decision at a Cabinet meeting at Chequers on 6 July that continuing preparations for potential outcomes included
23989-505: Was given a regular column in The Spectator , sister publication to The Daily Telegraph , which attracted mixed reviews and was often thought rushed. In 1999, he was also given a column reviewing new cars in the American men's monthly magazine GQ . The large number of parking fines that Johnson acquired while testing cars frustrated staff. At The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator , he
24150-458: Was his own belief that a delay would be a mistake and requested support from the president and Council members for his continuing efforts to ensure withdrawal without an extension. The letters were delivered by the British permanent representative in Brussels, together with a cover note signed by himself which affirmed that the first letter complied with the Benn Act. On 21 October, the case resumed in
24311-501: Was in place because asbestos cladding made the building too dangerous to inhabit. Many of his fellow journalists were critical of his articles, saying they often contained lies designed to discredit the commission. The Europhile Conservative politician Chris Patten later said that Johnson was "one of the greatest exponents of fake journalism". Johnson opposed banning handguns after the Dunblane school massacre , writing in his column "Nanny
24472-463: Was known for his distinctive literary style, replete with old-fashioned phrasing and for regularly referring to the readership as "my friends". In early 1989, Johnson was appointed to the newspaper's Brussels bureau to report on the European Commission, remaining in the post until 1994. A strong critic of the integrationist Commission president Jacques Delors , he established himself as one of
24633-576: Was made before the end of June 2018. Exit day is the date and time defined in UK legislation for the switch from EU law to UK law, the main changes being to repeal the European Communities Act 1972 and to bring retained EU law into effect. It does not affect when the UK leaves the EU, but the intention is that it is synchronised with that event. Exit day was 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET ). The Act has been amended (by secondary legislation passed under section 20 of
24794-664: Was nominated for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance . After these appearances, he came to be recognised on the street, and was invited to appear on other shows, such as Top Gear , Parkinson , Breakfast with Frost , and Question Time . In July 1999, Conrad Black offered Johnson the editorship of The Spectator on the condition he abandon his parliamentary aspirations; Johnson agreed. While retaining The Spectator ' s traditional right-wing bent, Johnson welcomed contributions from leftist writers and cartoonists. Under Johnson's editorship,
24955-456: Was one of a number of planned pieces of legislation affecting international transactions and control of borders, including movement of goods. The Act came fully into force on Friday 31 January 2020 at 23:00 Greenwich Mean Time , although it was amended by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 which saved the effect of the European Communities Act 1972 (ECA 1972) during the implementation period and formally ratified and incorporated
25116-509: Was originally scheduled to take place after MPs returned to Parliament following the conclusion, in October, of their respective party conferences . However, Andrea Leadsom , Leader of the House of Commons , announced on 26 October that the committee stage was to begin on 14 November. Committee stage began as scheduled on 14 November as a Committee of the Whole House , and completed on 20 December 2017. MPs tabled more than 470 amendments to
25277-495: Was perceived as having moved leftward on certain issues, supporting the London Living Wage and endorsing an amnesty for illegal migrants. He tried placating critics who had deemed him a bigot by appearing at London's gay pride parade and praising ethnic minority newspapers. Johnson broke from the traditional protocol of those in public office not publicly commenting on other nations' elections by endorsing Barack Obama for
25438-460: Was planned to be enacted during the Brexit negotiations, but to come into force on 'exit day'. As originally tabled, the bill did not give a date for 'exit day', but said that " 'exit day' means such day as a Minister of the Crown may by regulations appoint". If no time is specified , it was to be "the beginning of that day". However, the government tabled an amendment in Committee Stage so
25599-494: Was popular and well known at Oxford. Alongside Guppy, he edited the university's satirical magazine Tributary . In 1984, Johnson was elected secretary of the Oxford Union , and campaigned unsuccessfully for the position of Union President . In 1986, Johnson ran successfully for President, but his term was not distinguished or memorable, and questions were raised regarding his competence and seriousness. At graduation, Johnson
25760-423: Was quiet, studious, and deaf, resulting in several operations to insert grommets into his ears. He and his siblings were encouraged to engage in intellectual activities from a young age. Johnson's earliest recorded ambition was to be "world king". Having no other friends, the siblings became very close. In late 1969, the family moved to Maida Vale in west London, while Stanley began post-graduate research at
25921-513: Was to retain Tube ticket offices, in opposition to Livingstone's proposal to close up to 40. On 2 July 2008, the Mayor's office announced the closure plan was to be abandoned. On 21 November 2013, Transport for London announced that all London Underground ticket offices would close by 2015. In financing these projects, Johnson's administration borrowed £100 million, while public transport fares were increased by 50%. During his first term, Johnson
#922077