British Prime Minister Boris Johnson just shared a glimpse into his weekly audience withQueen Elizabeth.
On Wednesday, the Conservative leader spoke candidly in a video posted to his Twitter account — filmed from the backseat of his car as he’s headed to Buckingham Palace.
“I’m just off to see Her Majesty the Queen, which is always a very tough interview because she always asks the best questions,” he said. “And the question today is: ‘Why are we having this election?’ ”
“By convention, The Queen does not vote or stand for election, however Her Majesty does have important ceremonial and formal roles in relation to the government of the UK,” according to the royal family’s website.
Victoria Jones/Getty
Boris Johnson and Queen Elizabeth.
With Boris Johnson’s comfortable victory over Jeremy Hunt to become the new Conservative leader this summer, he became the14th prime ministerduring the 93-year-old monarch’s reign.Queen Elizabetheven delayed her planned vacation to Balmoral Castle in Scotland so that she could meet the new prime minister.
Boris Johnson and Queen Elizabeth.Victoria Jones - WPA Pool/Getty
In August,Queen Elizabethapproved Johnson’srequest to suspend Parliamentfrom early September to October 14 — just before the Brexit deadline.
In taking the controversial step of advising the Queen to call a halt to Parliament, Johnson has shortened the amount of time lawmakers have to oppose his no-deal Brexit plans to leave the European Union.
Halting Parliament is known as “proroguing.” It is a power that rests with the Queen, and is carried out on the advice of the prime minister,the BBCexplains. But, in doing so, it reduces the influence of Members of Parliament (MPs).
Johnson proposed that Parliament be suspended from early September until October 14, when it would return to hear the Queen’s speech of new legislation and signal a new Parliamentary sitting. Johnson wrote that he wanted the Queen’s speech “to bring forward a new bold and ambitious domestic legislative agenda for the renewal of our country after Brexit.”
source: people.com
