Q-MHI , LONDON - The UK’s new Parliament gets to work. MPs are sworn in, with prime minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party taking 365 of parliament’s 650 seats following last week’s landslide election victory. Johnson plans to add a clause to his Brexit bill making it illegal to delay the divorce process beyond the end of next year.The post-Brexit transition period - due to conclude in December 2020 - can currently be extended by mutual agreement for up to two years.
But an amended Withdrawal Agreement Bill the Commons is set to vote on this week would rule out any extension.
The PM told MPs it would put an end to years of "deadlock, dither and delay".As the House of Commons assembled for the first time since the election, Boris Johnson said his priority was to "get Brexit done". He also promised to seek "common ground" and to approach politics with a "new and generous spirit" after the rancour of recent years.
Jeremy Corbyn congratulated the Conservative leader on his victory but said he would be "judged" on whether he delivered on the "many, many promises" he had made during the campaign, including to longstanding Labour voters.The UK is set to leave the EU on 31 January, more than three and a half years after the public backed Brexit in a referendum.
Soon after, the two sides will begin talking about their future economic relationship, including controversial areas such as fishing rights, consumer and environmental standards and financial services.
Trade deals typically take many years to conclude and senior EU figures are sceptical that a deal can be agreed within that time. If it is not, the economic relationship will default to World Trade Organization (WTO) terms, with the likelihood of tariffs on imports and exports.
The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said the bloc would "do the maximum" to finalise the deal in time. Asked about the UK's refusal to contemplate any extra time for the talks, he said "it is the British choice to choose the procedure it wants".Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the PM's move was "reckless and irresponsible" and he argued that Mr Johnson was "prepared to put people's jobs at risk".
Liberal Democrat interim leader Sir Ed Davey said: "The only way Johnson can meet the December 2020 timetable is by giving up all his previous promises to Leave voters and agreeing to all the demands of the EU."
Downing Street has said the government plans to ask the new Parliament to have its first debate and vote on the withdrawal agreement - the legislation needed to ratify Brexit - on Friday.
With a majority of 80 following Thursday's general election, Mr Johnson is expected to get the bill into law with few changes in time for the UK to end its EU membership on 31 January.As well as ruling out an extension, the Independent reports that the amended withdrawal agreement may omit previous "provisions to ensure that workers' rights were not weakened after Brexit".
The prime minister promised during the general election campaign that he would not seek an extension to the transition period - persuading Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage to stand down candidates in Tory seats.
Meanwhile, in the first act of the new Parliament, MPs re-confirmed Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle in his post without any opposition.
The MP for Chorley, who was only succeeded John Bercow at the start of November, said it was the "greatest privilege" to be asked to take the chair again and he would do his utmost to "cherish the best traditions" of the Parliament.
Commons officials have begun the process of swearing in the new MPs - which will continue on Wednesday.Depending on how rapidly Boris Johnson wants to move, the debate on the Queen's Speech could continue into Friday.
The government will introduce the Withdrawal Agreement Bill to Parliament.
MPs in the previous Parliament backed Mr Johnson's bill at its first stage but rejected his plan to fast-track the legislation through Parliament in three days in order to leave the EU by the then Brexit deadline of 31 October.
After the debate on the Queen's Speech is concluded, MPs will vote on whether to approve it. Not since 1924 has a government's Queen Speech been defeated. (MHI).
