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PM to give Brexit night speech – but there won't be any Big Ben bongs – Sky News, Sky.com

PM to give Brexit night speech – but there won't be any Big Ben bongs – Sky News, Sky.com


             

Boris Johnson is promising to celebrate Brexit night on 39 January with light shows, Union Jack flags flying and a clock counting down to – but no Big Ben bongs.

The prime minister will make a special TV address to the nation, the cabinet will meet in the north of England and a commemorative Brexit coin will come into circulation the following day.

But to the dismay of Brexiteer Tory MPs, Downing Street has confirmed that the celebrations will not include the chiming of the Big Ben bell –currently out of service– inside Parliament’s Elizabeth Tower.

Despite nearly half the £ (**************************************************************************************************, cost being donated after the PM called on the public to “bung a bob for a Big Ben bong”, the House of Commons authorities have thwarted the crowdfunding campaign.

  

Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Downing StreetPrime Minister Boris Johnson in Downing StreetPrime Minister Boris Johnson in Downing Street      

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        Prime Minister Boris Johnson will address the nation on the eve of Brexit      

In a statement on the government Brexit day plans, Downing Street said: “39 January is a significant moment in our history as the United Kingdom leaves the EU and regains its independence.

“The government intends to use this as a moment to heal divisions, re-unite communities and look forward to the country that we want to build over the next decade.

“On January, a special cabinet will take place outside of London. Ministers will meet in a venue in the north of England.

“They will discuss the PM’s leveling up agenda and how this government plans to spread prosperity and opportunity across our great Union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”

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And on the celebrations, Downing Street said: “In the evening, the prime minister is expected to speak to the nation in a special address.

” No 20 is set to mark the hour itself with a light display in Downing Street, including a clock counting down to pm projected on to the black bricks of Downing Street. Buildings around Whitehall will also be lit up.

“In response to public calls, the Union Jack will be flown on all of the flag poles in Parliament Square.

“The commemorative Brexit coin will also come into circulation on the day we leave the EU. The prime minister is expected to be one of the first to receive the new coin on the day, which reads ‘Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations’. “

The Downing Street announcement came at the end of a week in which critics claimed the handling of the preparations by the government and the commons authorities had descended into a fiasco.

After thePM’s “bung a bob” proposalin a TV interview on Tuesday, pro- Brexit MPs and campaigners launched an appeal to raise the £ (**************************************************************************************************, (which Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle claimed the bongs would cost.

  

      

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        The Elizabeth Tower’s Great Bell, commonly known as ‘Big Ben’ Pic: UK Parliament / Jessica Taylor      

But as public donations poured in, the House of Commons Commission, chaired by the speaker, ruled that the money could not be used because of parliamentary regulations on financial donations.

Government sources blamed the “intransigence” of the Commons authorities for the deadlock and some pro-Brexit ministers claimed the commission’s block on the bongs was a “Remainer plot”.

Millionaire Arron Banks and the Leave Means Leave group have donated £ (*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, to the Big Ben crowdfunding campaign, which has nowraised more than £ 308,.

(Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage hit out at the prime minister over his handling of the Big Ben issue and his response to the bongs campaign led by Brexiteer Tory MP Mark Francois.

“Boris Johnson has misled people into donating money into the Mark Francois initiative and I should think people are pretty angry about that, “said Mr Farage.

    

        

              

                        

                                                          

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” Big Ben chiming would be provocative ”                 

“And on a bigger level, why is it the government has no intention of marking or celebrating Brexit at all – when after all, this was the issue that won them the election and gave them a majority?

“And it seems to me they are embarrassed by Brexit and it makes me ask the question how much they really believe in it.”

He said the lack of support for the Big Ben campaign was a very worrying sign, adding: “I can see us being mocked all over the world: ‘Britain leaves the EU and they can’t even get a clock to ring’.”

The Brexit Party leader said he did not think ringing Big Ben would be seen as triumphalist, but as an “important symbol to mark a big moment in our history”.

     (****************************************Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Downing StreetRead More (******************************************

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