British Boris Johnson

Britain will not nominate a candidate for the new European Commission despite being required to do as an EU member state, new Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.

Johnson told parliament in his inaugural speech to the chamber that “We will not nominate an EU commissioner… under (any) circumstances.”

He added that his decision is “not intended to stop the EU from appointing a new commission.”

The new British prime minister said that many British officials were “trapped in meeting after meeting in Brussels and Luxembourg, when they could be better deployed in securing new free trade deals”.

Britain is required to put forward a name for the commission despite the fact that it is scheduled to leave the bloc on Oct. 31 – one day before the executive would begin work.

Johnson insisted that Britain “must” leave the EU by Oct. 31, with or without a deal.

Johnson said on Thursday he was launching a new approach to drive independent trade policy and so would not nominate a UK commissioner to take a place in the new European Commission.

“I want to start unshackling our officials to undertake this new mission (to strike trade deals) right away.

“So we will not nominate a UK commissioner for the new commission taking office on the first of December, under no circumstances.

“Today is the first day for a new approach which will end with our exit from the EU on the Oct. 31.” (dpa/NAN)