Three British ministers set to resign if Boris Johnson becomes PM: The Times
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Boris Johnson has refused to rule out "proroguing", or suspending, the House of Commons to prevent lawmakers from passing legislation to block his Brexit plan if he tries to exit without a deal.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON (REUTERS) - Three British Cabinet ministers are set to resign the day Mr Boris Johnson, if as expected, becomes Britain's next prime minister, The Times newspaper reported on Thursday (July 18).
British justice minister David Gauke is set to resign soon after Mrs Theresa May completes her last prime minister's questions on next Wednesday, the newspaper reported on its web site.
Mr Philip Hammond, the country's finance minister, and Mr Rory Stewart, the international development minister, are also considering leaving before Johnson becomes prime minister, the report said.
Earlier on Thursday, British lawmakers approved proposals to make it harder for the next prime minister to force through a no-deal Brexit by suspending parliament, showing again their resolve to stop a divorce from the European Union without an agreement.
The three-year Brexit crisis is deepening as Mr Johnson, the favourite to win the premiership, has pledged to leave the EU with or without a transition deal on Oct 31, setting Britain on a collision course with the bloc and his own parliament.
The OBR budget watchdog underlined the high stakes, saying Britain might be entering a full-blown recession that a no-deal exit from the EU would only compound, blowing a £30 billion (S$50 billion) hole in the public finances.
Mr Johnson, a Conservative ex-foreign minister, has refused to rule out "proroguing", or suspending, the House of Commons to prevent lawmakers from passing legislation to block his Brexit plan if he tries to exit without a deal.
In a bid to complicate any such manoeuvre, lawmakers adopted by a 315-274 margin a proposal that would require parliament to be sitting to consider Northern Irish affairs for several days in September and October even if it was suspended.
They also endorsed a requirement for ministers to make fortnightly reports on progress towards re-establishing Northern Ireland's collapsed, devolved executive and to give lawmakers an opportunity to debate and approve those reports.
The measures do not amount to an outright block on suspending parliament but could make it much more difficult to bypass lawmakers. It is yet to become law, but it is not expected to be rejected.
