appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

Reuters

Agence France-Presse

Britain’s divide over Brexit has cost Prime Minister Boris Johnson another member of his embattled government – his own brother.
Jo Johnson announced he would step down as minister of state for education and also leave Parliament, saying he was “torn between family loyalty and the national interest”.
His surprise resignation comes days after the prime minister expelled 21 Conservative lawmakers from the party for failing to back his Brexit strategy, including Winston Churchill’s grandson and a former finance minister.
Since taking office in July, Boris Johnson has tried to corral the Conservative Party, which is deeply divided over Brexit, behind his strategy of leaving the European Union on October 31, with or without a deal.




Jo Johnson, 47, had previously expressed backing for a second referendum on whether Britain should leave the EU, but accepted a job as a junior minister in the business and education departments when his brother became prime minister.
“It’s been an honour to represent Orpington for 9 years & to serve as a minister under three PMs (Prime Ministers),” Jo Johnson said on Twitter.
“In recent weeks I’ve been torn between family loyalty and the national interest – it’s an unresolvable tension & time for others to take on my roles as MP (Member of Parliament) & Minister,” he said.
Brexit unmasks UK PM Boris Johnson’s ruthless streak
It was not immediately clear whether he would resign as a Member of Parliament immediately, or simply not stand for re-election. He had been an MP for the Orpington constituency in Kent, southeast England, since 2010, serving in several ministerial roles.
The Johnson family itself is notoriously split over Brexit with his sister Rachel having represented different parties opposed to Brexit, and his father Stanley being a committed europhile and former European Commission official.
Boris Johnson’s government said on Thursday it would make a second attempt next week to call an early general election, to try to break the political deadlock over Brexit.
The day after MPs rejected the first attempt to call a snap poll, senior minister Jacob Rees-Mogg told MPs he would put forward a “motion relating to an early parliamentary election” to be voted on Monday evening.
Rees-Mogg refused to answer questions on the exact nature of this motion, which will only be known when it is published later on Thursday.
The nature of the motion may affect whether it is successful or not.
British PM in limbo after MPs reject his Brexit plan, elections
On Wednesday evening, the government failed in its bid to call an election despite winning a vote in the House of Commons, because it was made under a 2011 law that requires the support of two-thirds of MPs.
There is speculation that ministers could try to force an election via an alternative route, for example by introducing a short piece of legislation that would only require a simple majority of MPs to pass.
Johnson called the election after MPs approved a bill that could undermine his threat to leave the European Union on October 31 without agreeing exit terms.
The main opposition Labour party abstained in Wednesday’s vote, saying it would not support an election until the bill blocking a “no deal” Brexit was approved.
The bill is currently being debated in the unelected upper House of Lords but is expected to become law by Monday.
Government sources say they hope Labour would at that point back an election.
However, Labour is divided over the timing of any poll.
Johnson wants a public vote before an EU summit on October 17, which could be the last chance to get a Brexit deal before Britain’s scheduled departure on October 31.
But some in Labour want an election after October 31, which would mean Johnson would have been forced to delay Brexit.
Additional reporting by Associated Press


In China at a time of geopolitical flux, I feel right at home

Starmer urges Europe to deepen interdependence amid Trump threats

Britain’s surging Reform UK party draws big-name Tory defector

UK rejoins Erasmus student exchange programme in post-Brexit reset under PM Keir Starmer

Brexit

British PM Boris Johnson dealt fresh blow as brother Jo quits government

Jo Johnson said he has been ‘torn between family loyalty and the national interest’. Photo: AFP

Brexit unmasks UK PM Boris Johnson’s ruthless streak as he tries to trigger election

Just six weeks after taking over as British leader, Boris Johnson is finding it difficult to complete his career-defining task. Photo: EPA

Anti-Brexit and Boris Johnson messages are projected onto the Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead, Britain September 3, 2019 in this picture obtained from social media on September 4, 2019. LED BY DONKEYS/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

British government left in limbo after MPs reject Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit plan and call for early elections

The Houses of Parliament at dusk in London on September 4. Photo: EPA-EFE

A video grab from footage broadcast by the UK Parliament's Parliamentary Recording Unit (PRU) shows tellers (L-R) Conservative MP Stuart Andrew, Conservative MP Iain Stewart, Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake and Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards delivering the result of the vote on the motion to hold an early parliamentary general election in the House of Commons in London on September 4, 2019. - British MPs on Wednesday voted to force Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ask the European Union for a delay to the October 31 Brexit deadline, something he has said he will "refuse" to do. (Photo by - / PRU / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT " AFP PHOTO / PRU " - NO USE FOR ENTERTAINMENT, SATIRICAL, MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - EDITORS NOTE THE IMAGE HAS BEEN DIGITALLY ALTERED AT SOURCE TO OBSCURE VISIBLE DOCUMENTS

TOPSHOT - A handout photograph released by the UK Parliament shows Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gesturing as he reacts to main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn during his first Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons in London on September 4, 2019. - Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced a fresh Brexit showdown in parliament on Wednesday after a stinging defeat over his promise to get Britain out of the European Union at any cost next month. (Photo by JESSICA TAYLOR / UK PARLIAMENT / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO USE FOR ENTERTAINMENT, SATIRICAL, ADVERTISING PURPOSES - MANDATORY CREDIT " AFP PHOTO / JESSICA TAYLOR / UK Parliament"

News

World

Europe


Jo Johnson said he would resign as a junior minister and said he would also step down as a lawmaker, citing a conflict between family loyalty and the national interest



Jo Johnson said he would resign as a junior minister and said he would also step down as a lawmaker, citing a conflict between family loyalty and the national interest.


Boris Johnson

Britain

European Union

British PM Boris Johnson dealt fresh blow as brother Jo quits government

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Jo Johnson said he would resign as a junior minister and said he would also step down as a lawmaker, citing a conflict between family loyalty and the national interest

Jo Johnson said he would resign as a junior minister and said he would also step down as a lawmaker, citing a conflict between family loyalty and the national interest