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Boris Johnson quietly pulls £100 million 'Get Ready for Brexit' adverts after asking the EU for a delay

Oct 25, 2019, 12:42 IST

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  • Boris Johnson pulls £100 million no-deal Brexit advertising campaign as the UK heads for another delay to its exit from the UK.
  • The campaign had "limited impact" on the public according to a study by the National Audit Office.
  • The EU is set to delay its decision on how long to extend the Brexit deadline until, amid ongoing political chaos in the UK.
  • The prime minister is threatening his government will go "on strike" until he is allowed a general election by opposition parties.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Boris Johnson's government has quietly pulled its £100 million advertising campaign urging British people to "Get Ready for Brexit" after the prime minister wrote to the EU requesting Brexit is delayed until next year.

The campaign, which was designed to prepare UK citizens for a potential no-deal Brexit on October 31, has been quietly withdrawn from media outlets according to the The I newspaper.

A report by the National Audit Office last week suggests that the campaign, which some estimates suggest cost at least £140 million, failed to resonate with the public and had "limited impact."

EU leaders are currently considering how long to delay Brexit until, amid ongoing political chaos in the UK.

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The prime minister on Thursday called on his opponents to back a pre-Christmas election on December 12.

Under UK law, Johnson needs to secure the support of two-thirds of Members of Parliament in order to hold an election before the end of the fixed five year election cycle.

However, opposition parties all declined to accept Johnson's call, with the opposition Labour party whipping its MPs to abstain on the House of Commons vote on holding an election, due on Monday.

There was confusion immediately afterwards, when Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that his party may still back the vote once an extension has been agreed by the EU.

"If the EU will answer tomorrow then we'll know tomorrow," Corbyn told the Press Association.

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A decision by EU leaders was due on Friday morning. However, multiple reports suggest their decision will be delayed until there is clarity on whether the UK will hold a 2019 election or not.

Corbyn is under mounting pressure from his own party to rule out a pre-Christmas election, amid polls suggesting the party would lose seats both to Johnson's Conservative party and the Liberal Democrats.

A spokesperson for the prime minister said that the government would go "on strike" until opposition parties allowed an election.

"Nothing will come before Parliament but the bare minimum," they said.

"We will pursue a general election every day from then onwards, and do everything we can to get it."

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