Cheers in Downing Street No. 10. The British could expect a "fantastic year and a remarkable decade," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in his New Year speech.
In addition to Brexit, the health system is at the top of its to-do list. In addition, additional funds for education and infrastructure would be distributed "more fairly". "We will do all of this while keeping taxes low," Johnson promised.
With a view to the official exit date of the EU on January 31, the head of government, newly strengthened with a comfortable majority, said: "We will carry out the Brexit before the end of this month." From then on, the country would be able to "freely choose our own course as a sovereign nation".
Johnson wants to reunite the nation divided by the Brexit in the new year. "If we say goodbye to 2019, we can turn the tide and leave the division, resentment and uncertainty that have dominated public life and held us back for far too long," he said.
Johnson is also hoping that this will provide new funding: this will "restore people's and companies' trust and trigger a flood of pent-up investments".
The EU trade commissioner is suspicious
EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan is not quite as optimistic. He warned that the upcoming negotiations for a follow-up agreement between London and Brussels would fail. Leaving without a deal at the end of 2020 would "put salt in the wounds" and run the risk of "splitting families, communities and regions," the Irishman told The Irish Times.
After the Brexit on January 31, a transition phase should apply until the end of 2020. During this time, almost everything will remain the same, while both sides negotiate an agreement on their future relationships. Not much time for such a complex undertaking. However, Johnson has already ruled out a possible extension option of up to two years until July.
However, Hogan believes Johnson's cancellation of an extension is unlikely. "We saw the Prime Minister promise to lie dead in the trench rather than extend the Brexit period to do just that," said Hogan. Johnson would not end in a ditch this time either.