Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s term has been defined by rising tensions in the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union related to Brexit. As a staunch advocate for the U.K.’s exit from the EU before he took office, his policies have been controversial in the eyes of both pro- and anti-Brexit citizens alike. Nevertheless, his actions over his first year on the job have resulted in successfully triggering the process of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, despite ongoing debates and international objections. With Brexit’s official start date only weeks away and negotiations for a trade agreement yet to be fully hammered out, here we look at what Prime Minister Johnson has accomplished during his time in office, and what to expect for the future of the U.K’s relationship with Brussels.
I. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Tenure
Boris Johnson took office as Prime Minister of Britain in July of 2019, having been elected on a platform of strongly advocating for Brexit to occur quickly. Since then, Johnson has successfully pushed through the entire process of Brexit, passing three major pieces of legislation related to the eventual UK exit from the European Union.
A. Johnson’s Negotiations with the EU
Amongst his policy goals, Prime Minister Johnson has had two major objectives in his negotiations with the EU. First, he wanted to move forward with the agreement that was reached between former Prime Minister Theresa May and the EU in November of 2018. He eventually secured a new version of the existing Brexit deal made during May’s term, removing the so-called “backstop” provision, which would keep the U.K.’s border with Ireland open despite changes in international trade.
Johnson’s other goal has been to move ahead without a deal in place, which would allow the U.K. to leave the EU without any formal agreement in place. While under Prime Minister May’s government, this option seemed unlikely due to a lack of agreement on issues like trade, the extension of deadlines have allowed the possibility of a no-deal Brexit to remain on the table.
B. Johnson’s Pivotal UK Election
In December 2019, Prime Minister Johnson held a snap election that gave his Conservative Party an overwhelming mandate to govern with a majority of 80 seats in the House of Commons. By giving him the parliamentary authority needed in order to withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Union, the election also boosted Johnson’s Brexit plan and allowed him to move ahead with his exit strategy.
II. Debate Over the Prime Minister’s Brexit Policies
As he has pushed forward with his Brexit policies during his first year in office, Prime Minister Johnson has been caught in a tug-of-war between two camps: those who support Brexit (largely his own Conservative Party) and those who oppose it (which includes members of the Labour Party and other opponents of the U.K.’s departure from the EU).
A. The Arguments for and Against Brexit
Supporters of Brexit argue that it is necessary for the United Kingdom to regain its full sovereignty, breaking away from EU regulations and restrictions. Proponents of Brexit point to issues like unrestricted immigration from EU countries, judicial rules that lack accountability to the UK public, and Britain’s incorrect and ongoing payments towards the EU budget, as reasons for leaving the union.
On the other hand, those opposed to Brexit cite a range of economic and political concerns. Anti-Brexit activists point to the potential benefits that the UK could receive through staying in the EU, with issues like easy access to markets and collective bargaining power among other nations, creating a stronger position for Britain in the world. Other worries include environmental regulations, public healthcare, and labour rights protection.
B. Johnson’s Push for a Brexit Deal
Despite the ongoing debates and objections on both sides of the issue, Prime Minister Johnson and his administration have pushed on with their goal of a withdrawal agreement for the United Kingdom by the scheduled Brexit date of Jan. 31, 2020. Even when the European Union failed to grant the U.K. a deadline extension, Johnson and his team remained committed to delivering the Brexit deal.
This was thanks in part to the landmark Queen’s Speech, which established broad governmental measures that effectively eased negotiations between the U.K. and EU over a potential Brexit deal. Also important were Johnson’s abolishment of the House of Lords’ bill that blocked a no-deal Brexit and was ultimately challenged during a Supreme Court ruling.
III. Prime Minister Johnson’s Achievements
Since taking office in July 2019, Prime Minister Johnson has pushed forward policy goals aimed at achieving Brexit by the set deadline no matter the cost, and to the great satisfaction pro-Brexiters. Despite the heated discussion about Johnson’s his policy perspective, he has been successful in achieving his aims thus far.
A. Coming to an Agreement with the EU
Perhaps one of Prime Minister Johnson’s greatest accomplishments is the reunification of the Conservative Party behind his Brexit agenda. Prior to Johnson taking office, divisions between pro- and anti-Brexit politicians had crippled any chance of forging a withdrawal agreement. Johnson’s strength in leadership and consensus-building led to the construction of a new Brexit deal that was accepted by the EU, granting Britain an extension of the Oct. 31, 2019 leave date to Jan. 31, 2020.
B. Breaking Away from the ‘Backstop’
The contentious “backstop” provision, which would have kept the Irish border open regardless of alterations to international trade regulations, was removed under Johnson’s no-deal-or-Boris-deal strategy. Removing this provision, which had been instrumental in Theresa May’s Brexit deal failure, was a major breakthrough that helped pave the way for Johnson’s Brexit deal.
C. Winning the UK Election
The snap UK election in December of 2019 also proved to be a major success for Prime Minister Johnson’s Brexit mission. With an overwhelming majority of 358 out of 650 seats given to the Conservative Party, Johnson was granted the mandate necessary for Brexit to advance without the constant infringement of Brexit-opposing members of Parliament.
IV. Looking Ahead at the Brexit Process
With the leave date of January 31 fast approaching, Prime Minister Johnson and the Conservative Party are ready to move forward with their Brexit withdrawal plan. However, there is still much work to be done in terms of negotiating trade and other agreements between the United Kingdom and the European Union.
A. Negotiation of a Trade Agreement
Now that the Britain is on track to officially leave the EU by the end of the month, the negotiations for a post-Brexit trade agreement are kicking into high gear. Prime Minister Johnson has stated that he plans to have a trade deal in place by the end of 2020, but time is running out for an agreement before the current deadline.
B. Possible Extension of Negotiations
More time may prove necessary for a trade agreement to be worked out between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Currently, EU officials have proposed an extension until the end of 2022 in order to allow for more time for trade negotiations. While the U.K. could refuse this extension, it could be necessary in order to give both parties enough time to negotiate a trade deal that works for both sides
V. Prime Minister Johnson’s Impact on the Brexit Debate
It is clear that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s prime ministership has had a lasting impact on the Brexit debate. Not only has he pushed forward with a strongly pro-Brexit agenda, he has also managed to achieve something that none of his predecessors have – a successful divorce from the European Union.
A. Unifying the Conservative Party
Perhaps Johnson’s greatest accomplishment amongst Brexit-related issues has been the reunification of the Conservative Party behind his Brexit agenda. By bringing the party together and garnering a majority government in the snap election of 2019, Johnson has set the stage for a successful withdrawal from the EU and pushed closer to achieving the Brexit goals he set forth when taking office.
B. Keeping Up the Brexit Momentum
By maintaining a consistent and unwavering momentum in pushing forward with his Brexit agenda, Prime Minister Johnson has managed to fight off numerous parliamentary moves to stop Brexit altogether and successfully bring the withdrawal process to the brink of completion. Despite legal and political opposition, Johnson has maintained steady progress towards the U.K.’s historic exit from the European Union.
C. Controversy Surrounding Prime Minister Johnson
Of course, it wouldn’t be an unbiased look at Boris Johnson’s Brexit mission without the controversy and criticism that has followed him along the way. From disagreements within the Conservative Party over his Brexit plan to accusations of xenophobic language and inflammatory actions towards members of Parliament from across the aisle, Johnson’s policies and rhetoric have been the source of much debate and opposition since taking office.
Boris Johnson has come a long way since the start of his term as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, successfully leading the country closer to an official Brexit. From pushing forward a new Brexit deal to winning a snap election and unifying the Tory party, Johnson’s leadership and unwavering dedication to the Brexit vote have resulted in the accomplishment of many of his goals leading up to the U.K.’s official leave date of Jan. 31. Going forward, future negotiations between the U.K. and EU must come to fruition to avoid a no-deal Brexit and to keep the Brexit process on schedule
