BRITISH PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson is to legislate to prevent any further delays to the Brexit process.
Having secured an 80-seat majority in last week's general election, Johnson will reportedly look to do what he can to prevent MPs from trying to extend the Brexit transition period beyond the end of 2020.
Ministers are understood to have re-worked the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) - due to come before the Commons this week - to "legally prohibit" any further extension.
The move comes as MPs regather at Westminster for the first sitting of the new parliament.
Currently, plans are in place for Britain to officially leave the EU on January 31, with an implementation to run to the end of 2020 while a free trade deal is negotiated with Brussels.
The planned legislation has reportedly garnered a great deal of scepticism from key EU members who don't believe that a deal can be effectively negotiated in that time - which brings the possibility of a no-deal Brexit firmly back to the table.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - DECEMBER 17: Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during his first cabinet meeting since the general election, inside 10 Downing Street on December 17, 2019 in London, England. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is holding the first cabinet meeting since winning a majority of 80 seats in the general election last week.But Johnson, with his sizeable majority, now has the opportunity to negotiate in a way that he, and Theresa May before him, weren't able to do previously.
With parliamentary gridlock on the issue unlikely, Johnson will believe he has the ability to play 'hard-ball' with Brussels, and not be pressured into a deal that wouldn't suit him.
He will also be keen to make good on the promise to 'Get Brexit Done', which spearheaded his election campaign, and preventing any further delays to negotiations would be a key step in doing so.
A No 10 source said: "Last week the public voted for a government that would get Brexit done and move this country forward - and that’s exactly what we intend to do starting this week.
"Our manifesto made clear that we will not extend the implementation period and the new Withdrawal Agreement Bill will legally prohibit the government agreeing to any extension," the source added.
The WAB is due to be brought before the Commons on Friday - and could receive its first reading and be voted on at second reading in one day, if the Speaker agrees.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: "We plan to start the process before Christmas and will do so in the proper constitutional way in discussion with the Speaker."
