PM Johnson goads opponents to call election as Brexit chaos deepens
September 26, 2019, 7:37 am

PM Johnson goads opponents to call election as Brexit chaos deepens

Britain’s Prime Minster Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street for Parliament in London, on September 25, 2019. (AP)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson taunted his rivals on his return to parliament on Wednesday, goading them to either bring down the government or get out of the way to allow him to deliver Brexit.

Waving his arms and yelling “come on, come on then” to a raucous House of Commons, Johnson told his opponents they could bring a vote of no-confidence in the government on Thursday and trigger an election to finally break the Brexit impasse.

Britain faces an October 31 deadline to leave the EU, but after three years of political crisis, with parliament unable to agree on Brexit, it remains unclear when, if or on what terms the country will leave the bloc it joined in 1973.

“Will they have the courage to act or will they refuse to take responsibility and do nothing but dither and delay?” he asked, saying his government would not “betray the people” over Brexit.

Once again the leaders of the opposition parties, including Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn, refused to engage, saying they would only agree to an election once Johnson had ruled out leaving the European Union without a deal.

After helping to force through a new law requiring the government to ask for a delay to Brexit if it fails to secure a deal by October 19, Corbyn again set out his demands.

“No one can trust this prime minister,” Corbyn said. “If you want an election, get an extension.”

A Labour source said the party would not take up the prime minister’s offer of a no confidence vote on Thursday “while there’s the threat of Johnson using it to ram through a no deal before polling day”.

First day back

Johnson was appearing in parliament for the first time since the Supreme Court ruled he had acted illegally in advising Queen Elizabeth to suspend parliament.

Having lost his majority and a series of parliamentary votes on Brexit, Johnson had suspended the House of Commons for five weeks. But the country’s top court ruled the closure was void.

Parliament remains in deadlock, with Johnson intent on leading Britain out of the EU with or without an exit agreement while most lawmakers are determined to block a no-deal scenario, which they fear will cause huge economic disruption.

Johnson’s demands for an election have already been rejected twice.

Running out of options and with an eye on an election campaign, he sought on Wednesday to paint his opponents as not just opposed to a no-deal Brexit, but opposed to Brexit altogether: defying the wishes of the people.

Johnson’s spokesman said the opposition’s refusal to trigger an election would be taken by the government as a green light to carry on with its Brexit strategy, to leave by October 31. “It’s time to put up or shut up,” he said.

As lawmakers around the House shouted “resign, resign,” Johnson said his opponents were now refusing to agree to an election for fear that they would not win power.

“I think the people of this country can see perfectly clearly what is going on,” he said. “They know that this parliament does not want to honor its promises to respect the referendum.”

“The leader of the opposition and his party do not trust the people.”

Ahead of Johnson’s appearance before lawmakers, his attorney-general, Geoffrey Cox, described the British parliament as “dead”. In a defiant outburst he labelled the government’s opponents as cowards for refusing to call an election.

Before the suspension, an alliance of opposition lawmakers backed by rebel members of Johnson’s Conservative Party forced through the law requiring him to ask the EU to push back the deadline if no exit deal is agreed by October 19.

Under questioning, Cox said the government would comply with the law forcing the delay if no deal was struck.

Johnson has repeatedly said he can strike an exit deal with the EU’s 27 other members at a summit on October 17-18.

However, EU negotiators say he has made no new proposals capable of breaking the deadlock over the issue of how to manage the border between Ireland, an EU member, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, after Brexit.

Johnson has aroused strong feelings among his opponents.

“I feel disgust watching Johnson,” said Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the secessionist Scottish National Party, describing the prime minister as “untrustworthy, craven ... unfit for office in every sense”.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.