Key events this week:
Boris Johnson came out the clear winner in the first round of voting in the Conservative leadership contest on Thursday, securing 114 votes. Jeremy Hunt trailed behind in second place with 43 votes, fewer than half the votes that Johnson had, and Michael Gove came in third place with 37 votes. Dominic Raab (27 votes), Sajid Javid (23 votes), Matt Hancock (20) and Rory Stewart (19 votes) also made it through to the second round of voting, which will take place in Tuesday June 18. In the second round vote, candidates will require 33 supporter to make to through to the next stage. Following Thursday’s first round vote, Andrea Leadsom, Mark Harper and Esther Mcvey have all been eliminated from the contest.
On Wednesday Labour failed by 309 votes to 298 in a vote described as the last chance to prevent a no deal Brexit. If the vote had succeeded, it would have given parliament control of the House of Commons’ order paper to stop a future prime minister suspending parliament to force through a no deal. The Labour initiative was backed by the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens, as well as a few Tory Europhiles. The vote failed as several Labour MPs from pro-Leave constituencies, defied party discipline and voted against the deal.
Leadership candidate Boris Johnson officially launched his campaign at a media conference on Wednesday. While he insisted that Britain “must” leave the EU on October 31, but he conceded that the UK would only leave the bloc without a deal as “a last resort”.
A confidential cabinet note was released this week warned that the UK would not be ready for a disorderly exit on October 31. The note stated that government would need four to five months to improve readiness for border checks that might be required. It also said it would need six to eight months of work with the pharmaceutical industry to build medicine stockpile by the end of October.
At the press event this weekend, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker stated that the EU will not reopen Britain’s EU withdrawal deal. He told reporters that the treaty is not “between Theresa May and the Juncker” but between the UK and the UK, and it must be respected by the next British prime minister.
Implications for Irish food & drink companies:
A number of candidates for the Conservative party leadership contest have come out in support of a no-deal Brexit, meaning that the threat of the UK leaving the EU without a deal on October 31 has increased. It is crucial therefore, that Irish food and drink manufacturers continue to prepare for all Brexit possibilities, including a no-deal Brexit. Bord Bia’s support programmes can be found here.
Looking ahead:
- The second round of voting in the Tory leadership contest will take place on Tuesday June 18.
- Newly elected MEPs will be taking their seats on July 1.
- A new Conservative Party leader is expected to be elected in the week commencing July 22.
- October 31 is the current Brexit deadline.