World Johnson defiant after British parliament votes to force Brexit delay

Led by Cameron (pictured), the Conservative Party launched its manifesto for the 2015 General Election, which pledged a “real change in our relationship with the European Union.” The party also declared it will hold an in-out referendum “before the end of 2017.” The Conservatives eventually went on to win the election.

Boris Johnson vows not to quit as the Prime Minister says that he'll refuse to resign even if MPs vote down his Queen's Speech

Boris Johnson will not resign if his Queen's Speech is rejected next week - and will try to govern until Labour agree to hold an election. Vows to get 'national gearbox working again' in his plans.The Prime Minister yesterday unveiled his heavily trailed legislative programme with a promise to ‘get the gears on our national gearbox working again’.

In the House of Commons, Cameron announced the date for the EU referendum to be June 23, 2016. The government also published their policy paper titled “The best of both worlds: the United Kingdom's special status in a reformed European Union.”

In the referendum on EU membership, the majority of voters, 51.9 percent, wanted to leave the EU, while 48.1 percent voted to remain. David Cameron announced his intention to resign the next day.

Earlier in 2016, activist Gina Miller (pictured) had brought a case against the British government, saying it doesn’t have the authority to implement Brexit without an approval from the Parliament. On this day, the High Court found the case in favor of the claimants, enabling the Parliament to play a key role in Brexit. The government said it would appeal against the decision. It later lost this appeal.

The Prime Minister triggered Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, or the Maastricht Treaty, which meant that the U.K. started a two-year countdown to leave the EU.

EU-27 (European Union countries except for the U.K.) members met for the first time since the triggering of Article 50, adopting the guidelines for Brexit negotiation ahead.

Comment: Johnson faces threat of deal being scuppered within the next 48 hours

Boris Johnson told his MPs on Wednesday he was hopeful of a deal, but felt like he was on the Hillary Step of Everest, while the summit was "shrouded in mist".Boris Johnson told his MPs on Wednesday he was hopeful of a deal, but felt like he was on the Hillary Step of Everest, while the summit was "shrouded in mist".

Meanwhile, the U.K. government released the “Northern Ireland and Ireland Position Paper,” which clarified how the nation planned to handle the situation of Northern Ireland and Ireland in light of Brexit.

(Pictured) European Council President Donald Tusk speaks at a conference after the EU-27 meet.

The General Election resulted in a hung Parliament. May formed a minority government as the Conservatives won more seats, but would heavily rely on support from the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland for key votes.

The first round of negotiations between the U.K. and EU began on this day.

(Pictured) EU's Chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (R) offers his hand to Britain's Brexit negotiator David Davis during their meeting in Brussels, Belgium.

The European Commission published the draft titled “Withdrawal Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom,” based on reports from the first phase of negotiations.

The draft proposed that Northern Ireland would act as a “customs territory” of the EU. May responded that no prime minister could “ever agree” with it and added that such a move would “undermine the U.K. common market and threaten the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom.”

Marking one year to go until Brexit, May paid a visit to each nation of the U.K., promising that only such a Brexit deal will be delivered which works for every community and also protects the integrity of the nation.

The British Cabinet met at Chequers, the country house of the prime minister, to hash out their differences and reach a collective position for future Brexit negotiations. It was decided that the proposals would be published as White Paper in the following days. While the Cabinet formally endorsed May’s idea for a U.K.-EU Free Trade Area, it questioned the Government’s proposed future relationship with the EU.

EU sets up team under Barnier for post-Brexit UK ties

The European Commission said Tuesday that its Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier will head a new team to guide future relations with Britain after it leaves the EU. Britain is due to leave the union on October 31, but will remain in a transitional relationship for at least 14 months while Brussels and London negotiate a trade deal.Barnier's "Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom" will be a merger of his team that negotiated the withdrawal agreement and the EU's "Brexit preparedness" team.

Not happy with how the U.K. was “giving away too much and too easily” to the EU, Brexit Secretary David Davis resigned, along with Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Secretary Boris Johnson. Dominic Raab was appointed as the new Brexit Secretary.

On this day, the Government published the first set of technical notices on how to prepare in case the U.K. leaves the EU with no deal. Raab also delivered a speech on no-deal planning.

Around 700,000 people participated in a massive People’s Vote March to demand a referendum on the final terms of any Brexit deal.

Negotiations were held between the U.K. and EU to reach a contract in principle on the Withdrawal Agreement. It established the terms of the country’s departure on March 29, 2019.

PM calls again for election as opposition MPs move closer to support

Boris Johnson has demanded MPs who voted down his Brexit bill last night now back a general election to break the deadlock. The prime minister said he wanted to deliver Britain's departure from the EU on 31 October, with Downing Street briefing he had told Brussels it was in everyone's interests for no delay to be granted.Mr Corbyn claimed the divorce deal secured last week was a "worse than terrible treaty".Their fiery clash at PMQs came just minutes after a sit-down meeting between the two, their chief whips and most senior advisers.

Citing his opposition to the Withdrawal Agreement, Raab resigned from the Cabinet, along with other ministers such as Brexit Undersecretary Suella Braverman and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey.

In a short statement outside 10 Downing Street, May said, “The British people want this to be settled. They want a good deal that sets us on course for a brighter future. That deal is within our grasp and I am determined to deliver it.”

While addressing the House of Commons on exiting the European Union, the Prime Minister announced a delay to the Meaningful Vote (which ratifies the Withdrawal Agreement), which was planned to be held the following day, saying, “If we went ahead and held the vote tomorrow, the deal would be rejected by a significant margin.”

British firm Seaborne Freight was awarded a £13.8 million contract by the Government to run extra ferries between Ramsgate, England, and Ostend, Belgium, if a no-deal Brexit takes place. The move raised major concerns as the company had never run a ferry service before.

The Government suffered a record defeat in the Meaningful Vote on its plans for Brexit, with 432 votes against and 202 in favor.

May and her Government faced a defeat yet again, as the second Meaningful Vote saw 391 against and 242 for.

Mysterious X-37B space plane lands after record 780 days in orbit

The unmanned orbiter breaks its own record for time spent in space."The X-37B continues to demonstrate the importance of a reusable space plane," secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett said in a statement.

Marking a huge blow to May, the Members of Parliament voted to rule out a no-deal Brexit. They also asked the government to seek permission from the EU to extend Article 50, which meant extending the deadline for departure.

Brexit Leader Nigel Farage (C, in green overcoat) organized a 270-mile (435 km) march from Sunderland to London, demanding the exit of Britain from the EU.

The EU agreed a short extension to the Brexit deadline, offering the date of May 22, 2019 (if May can get her Brexit deal passed) and April 12, 2019 (if not). The Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) warned that the nation may face a national emergency over Brexit.

Nearly a million protesters took to the streets in Central London, demanding that the people must be given a final say on Brexit.

May told Conservative lawmakers that she would step down if Parliament approved her plan for withdrawal. “I know there is a desire for a new approach, and new leadership, in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations, and I won’t stand in the way of that," the Prime Minister said. She did not specify when she would step down.

On the day the U.K. was supposed to withdraw from the EU, Parliament rejected May's withdrawal agreement a third time. The government lost by 344 votes to 286. In response to the vote, the EU planned an emergency summit on April 10 to discuss its next move. 

Following the government's failure to pass May's withdrawal agreement through Parliament a third time, a second series of indicative votes by MPs resulted in the proposed Brexit alternatives - including a 'customs union' relationship with the bloc, a 'common market 2.0', and a second referendum - being rejected. Such an outcome means increasing government pressure to receive Parliamentary backing on May's deal, or to seek a long Brexit extension to avoid a no-deal scenario.

(Pictured) A Westminster City Council employee sweeps the street in front of 10 Downing Street in London, England on April 1, 2019.

With the House of Commons voting by 313 votes to 312 - a majority of one - on Labour member Yvette Cooper's bill that the Prime Minister must ask the EU for a further extension to Brexit, Theresa May wrote to Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, seeking an additional delay until June 30, 2019. The extension would ostensibly provide the U.K. more time to move beyond the current Parliamentary impasse over Brexit. 

(Pictured) A combination photo shows a copy of Prime Minister Theresa May's letter to Donald Tusk, seeking an additional Brexit delay, in London, England on April 5, 2019.

After Theresa May proposed a delay of June 30, 2019 to EU leaders, a longer extension of up to Oct. 31, 2019 was agreed by the EU27 just 48 hours before the U.K. was scheduled to leave the bloc without a deal. This longer extension includes a break clause allowing the U.K. to leave before October if a withdrawal agreement is passed through the House of Commons. While the delay means Britain avoids a hard Brexit in April, the country must now participate in European elections in May. 

(Pictured) European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk hold a news conference in Brussels, Belgium after EU leaders discuss Brexit on April 11, 2019. 

The British prime minister announced that she will step down from her post on June 7, 2019. "It is now clear to me that it is in the best interest of the U.K. for a new PM to lead that effort," she said.

The Tory politician defeated rival Jeremy Hunt to become the new leader of the Conservative party and the next Prime Minister of the UK by two thirds of the Conservative Party vote. Johnson stated his priorities were 'to deliver Brexit and unite the country'. Notably, he has previously refused to rule out a no deal Brexit scenario.

The British Prime Minister held talks with the U.S. President Donald Trump during a breakfast meeting at the G7 summit in Biarritz, France. Jonson said, “There is an opportunity to do a great free trade deal with the United States. The president is very gung-ho about that and so am I. They want to do it within a year, I'd love to do it within a year, but that's a very fast timetable.” Further, talking about Brexit he said a part of the bill would be withheld if there was no deal.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson proposed his final Brexit offer to take the U.K. out from the European Union by the end of the month. His latest proposal involves taking Northern Ireland out of the customs union – making checks and controls at the border mandatory – which is expected to have a severe effect on the country’s economy. At the Conservative Party conference, he said: “Voters are desperate for us to focus on other priorities… What people want, what ‘Leavers’ want, what ‘Remainers’ want, what the whole world wants is to move on. Let’s get Brexit done – we can, we must and we will.” He also added that if Belgium doesn’t engage with the proposal, there won’t be any further talks. He said: “The EU is obliged by EU law only to negotiate with member state governments, they cannot negotiate with Parliament, and this government will not negotiate a delay.”

Boris Johnson declared via Twitter that a new deal had been secured with the EU; "we’ve got a great new deal that takes back control — now Parliament should get Brexit done on Saturday so we can move on to other priorities like the cost of living, the NHS, violent crime and our environment." The president of the European commission, Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured), also confirmed via Twitter that a deal had been agreed; "it’s a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions." The new deal will still need to pass through the House of Commons, however, before the U.K. can formally leave the European bloc. 

The British Parliament sat on a Saturday for the first time in 37 years to debate and vote on Johnson's new Brexit deal. If the amendment is passed, the prime minister will write to the EU for a three-month extension to Brexit. However, if it fails, an election will likely follow.

According to the BBC, the EU - a political and economic union of 28 countries - has grown into a “single market” in which member states are treated like they are part of a single country. The official currency, the euro, is used by 19 member nations. The EU also has its own parliament, which rules on a variety of sectors, like environment, transport, consumer rights and communications.

There are several reasons why the U.K. wants to leave the EU. The more important of these have to do with trade, finance and border control.

As far as the first two are concerned, according to Full Fact, an independent fact-checking organization based in London, England, after rebates and expenditure on public spending, the U.K. paid the EU approximately £9 billion in 2017. Brexiteers (people campaigning to leave the EU) believe this amount can be put to better use within their country. They also believe the U.K. can strike more favorable trade deals outside of the EU’s control. The third issue – border control – revolves around the EU’s free movement policy. Brexit supporters want stricter control over immigration.

On June 23, 2016, a referendum took place to see whether U.K. citizens (of voting age) wished to exit the EU. Over 30 million people (71.8 percent turnout) voted and the results were 51.9 percent in favor of Brexit.

The official date and time of Brexit was set at 11 pm BST on March 29, 2019. On March 21, 2019, EU officials approved a Brexit delay until May 22, 2019, if the Prime Minister Theresa May's withdrawal agreement with the EU is approved by UK Parliament. If the deal is not passed by MPs, an extension will apply to April 12, 2019. 

Since the Brexit vote in 2016, the U.K. and the EU have held extensive (and sometimes testy) negotiations over the terms of the former's exit. The range of issues that have been, and continue to be, discussed include (but are not limited to) the amount of money owed to the EU, the future of the Northern Ireland border and the status of U.K. and EU citizens living in the other's territories.

It is important to note these discussions, by and large, have dealt with details of the U.K.'s exit and not with relations with the EU after the exit.

In November 2018, EU leaders approved a deal that endorsed two key documents – a Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration on the Future of EU-U.K. relations. Key points in the former include money owed to the EU (set at a reported £39 billion), avoiding a "hard" border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and rights of EU and U.K. citizens. 

The deal was tabled before Parliament on Jan. 15, 2019, where it was resoundingly rejected. After surviving a vote of confidence the following day, Theresa May returned to Parliament on March 12, 2019 with an amended agreement in a second meaningful vote - which was again rejected by 391 to 242 Parliamentary votes. 

The other options include leaving the EU without a deal or holding a second referendum to ask U.K. citizens if they still wish to go through with Brexit. Less likely options include seeking a long extension to return to the negotiating table with the EU, holding a general election and revoking Article 50 altogether. 

On March 21, 2019, the European Council met to discuss the possibility of an extension to the March 29, 2019 Brexit deadline, to allow time for Parliament to pass May's withdrawal agreement allowing a smooth exit from the bloc. The outcome was a renewed Brexit deadline of May 22, 2019 - if the government's agreement is passed - and April 12, 2019 if it is not. 

Following the two previous defeats on her withdrawal deal, Theresa May returned to Parliament on March 29, 2019 - the day Britain was initially meant to leave the EU - in an attempt to pass her agreement a third time. It was again rejected, by 344 to 286 votes. 

(Pictured) European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (L) gives a joint press with the Europan Council President Donald Tusk at the end of an EU summit focused on Brexit delay on March 22, 2019, at the EU headquarters in Brussels. 

During this period, both sides are committed to maintaining, so far as is possible, current rules and regulations. This is designed to allow governments, businesses and investors time to understand the new rules and plan accordingly. The U.K. will be able to make its own trade deals in this time. However, such deals will only come into effect after the period is over.

After Theresa May wrote to President of the European Council Donald Tusk requesting a further Brexit delay to June 30, 2019, EU leaders approved a 'flexible' extension of up to October 31, 2019, just 48 hours before Britain was scheduled to leave the bloc without a deal, on April 11, 2019. While this means Britain is required to participate in European elections in May, the extension includes a break clause allowing the UK to leave the EU before October if a withdrawal agreement is passed through Parliament. 

(Pictured) Theresa May holds a news conference after European Union leaders discuss Brexit in Brussels, Belgium on April 11, 2019.