Brexit party leader Nigel Farage has offered the British Conservatives a coalition ahead of the upcoming elections, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson has since rejected this. Farage proposed that the Conservatives refrain from fielding their own candidates if they were willing to abandon their Brexit deal with the European Union.
During the presentation of his electoral program, Farage made it clear that the Brexit Party wants no cooperation with or interference from the European Union, meaning they also reject the Brexit deal already agreed upon by Johnson and the EU leaders.
Farage said the agreement between the prime minister and the European Union is “not Brexit.” The United Kingdom would face all the disadvantages of EU membership without any say. The Brexit Party leader spoke threateningly to Johnson: Farage announced that he would field candidates in all districts and constituencies should Johnson refuse to enter into an electoral pact.
According to the British press, Boris Johnson has abandoned the idea of a no-deal Brexit, despite the Conservative Party's election program text not yet being released. Johnson had repeatedly asserted over the past months that he intended to leave the EU by October 31, with or without a deal. After that date passed, the situation changed.
Johnson's government has thus far completely ruled out an alliance with the Brexit Party. The prime minister is campaigning under the motto “Get Brexit done.” With this, Johnson aims to secure his own majority in the British parliament large enough to push his deal through.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party (SNP) wants to submit a demand to the British government before Christmas granting Scotland the authority to hold a second referendum on independence.
The SNP intends to hold another referendum next year on Scotland's future within the United Kingdom. The Scottish government needs permission from London to achieve this.
Sturgeon can ask the British government via a special law to transfer the power to call a referendum to the Scottish parliament. The Edinburgh parliament must first agree to this. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in September that he has no intention of allowing a second referendum.