World Briefs: PM Johnson gets polls boost from Brexit Party

PM Johnson gets polls boost from Brexit Party

HARTLEPOOL • Mr Nigel Farage yesterday dramatically boosted British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's chances of winning a majority by announcing that his Brexit Party will not fight the Conservatives at the election.

The Brexit Party leader told a rally in Hartlepool, northeastern England, that it had been a difficult decision to stand down candidates in the 317 seats the Tories won at the last election in 2017 - but he had been reassured by Mr Johnson's plans for a sharper split with the European Union.

Mr Farage said he hopes to create a pro-Leave alliance that would stop pro-EU politicians being elected and triggering a second referendum that could cancel Brexit.

Mr Johnson welcomed Mr Farage's pledge, tweeting a statement saying Mr Farage had recognised that "another gridlocked, hung Parliament is the greatest threat to getting Brexit done".

BLOOMBERG, DPA

Cambodian politician to meet Malaysian MPs

KUALA LUMPUR • Parti Keadilan Rakyat's (PKR) MP Nurul Izzah Anwar has confirmed that self-exiled Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy will meet MPs in the Malaysian Parliament today.

Ms Nurul Izzah confirmed that her letter inviting Mr Rainsy, his wife and fellow opposition politician Tioulong Saumura - which made its rounds on social media - was authentic, and denied that PKR was keeping the meeting under wraps.

The invitation letter was posted by Mr Seng Mengbunrong, a young Cambodian National Rescue Party activist, on his Twitter account last Saturday.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

EU a step closer to sanctioning Turkey

BRUSSELS • The European Union yesterday moved a step closer to imposing sanctions over Turkey's drilling for oil and gas off Cyprus by formally adopting a legal framework to target those involved.

The discovery of hydrocarbon reserves in the eastern Mediterranean has sparked a dispute between EU member Cyprus and Turkey, which occupies the north of the island.

The EU has repeatedly warned Turkey to stop exploratory drilling activities in what Cyprus says are its territorial waters, to no avail, and last month, EU foreign ministers asked officials to create a sanctions framework, which is needed to impose travel bans and asset freezes on individuals and companies involved in the operations.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 12, 2019, with the headline World Briefs: PM Johnson gets polls boost from Brexit Party. Subscribe