LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday warned any attempt by MPs next week to stop Brexit or delay it beyond October 31 would do “lasting damage” to public trust in politics.

Johnson said Britons had decided to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum and MPs had promised multiple times to uphold that decision.

“If we stop the UK from leaving on October 31, if that’s what parliamentarians end up doing, it will do lasting damage to people’s trust in politics,” he told Sky News television.

“It will do lasting and catastrophic damage to the major parties in this country. This political generation won’t be forgiven for failing to honor that promise.”

Opposition MPs and some lawmakers from Johnson’s own Conservatives have said they want to legislate to prevent a no-deal Brexit, which the government’s own assessment warns could cause food, fuel and medicine shortages.

(Agencies)