‘Hulk’ UK PM defiant on October 31 Brexit

London, September 15

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson likened himself to the comic book character ‘The Incredible Hulk’ in a newspaper interview where he stressed his determination to take Britain out of the European Union on October 31.

The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that Johnson said he would find a way to circumvent a recent Parliament vote ordering him to delay Brexit rather than take Britain out of the EU without a transition deal. “The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets,” Johnson was quoted as saying. “Hulk always escaped, no matter how tightly bound in he seemed to be —- and that is the case for this country. We will come out on October 31.” 

Britain’s Parliament has repeatedly rejected the exit deal Johnson’s predecessor Theresa May negotiated with the EU, and this month rejected leaving without a deal - angering many Britons who voted to leave the bloc more than three years ago.

Johnson wants to harness that anger to win a majority in an early election, but his efforts to call one have so far been thwarted by the Opposition. 

The Liberal Democrats party, which has 18 seats in Britain’s 650-seat Parliament, on Sunday made its bid for the votes of those who want remain in the EU, toughening its anti-Brexit stance to say it would stop the exit process if it won power in an election, and would reject any Brexit deal Johnson struck. “If people put into government as a majority, the ‘Stop Brexit’ party, then stopping Brexit is exactly what people will get,” party leader Jo Swinson said.

Johnson has said he wants to negotiate a new deal that does not involve a ‘backstop’, which may tie Britain against its will to EU rules after it leaves in order to avoid checks on Ireland-Northern Ireland border. — Reuters