UK: Johnson says 'let the healing begin'

LONDON

Britain’s Conservative Party leader Boris Johnson on Friday said as his country makes a delayed exit from the bloc, he would like a new partnership with the EU.

Speaking in front of No 10. Downing Street, Johnson called on the U.K. “to find closure and let the healing begin.”

Johnson’s speech came after a brief meeting with the queen following Thursday’s landslide election victory, which gave him a majority of 80 seats -- 365 of 650 seats -- in the House of Commons.

Johnson said he had been to Buckingham Palace and will be forming a new government, adding that the MPs will return to Westminster on Monday to form the new parliament.

He said he is going to “unite and level up” with his new majority and wants to bring the country together, adding that he would work "flat out" and lead a "people's government."

The Conservative Party captured 365 seats with 43.6% of the votes -- a majority the party has not enjoyed since 1987, when Margaret Thatcher won her third term.

“This election means that getting Brexit done is now the irrefutable, irresistible, unarguable decision of the British people,” said Johnson earlier.

“And with this election, I think we put an end to all those miserable threats of a second referendum,” he added.

He said: "We will get Brexit done on time by the 31st of January. No ifs, no buts, no maybes. Leaving the EU as one United Kingdom, taking back control of all those borders, money, our trade, immigration system, delivering on the democratic mandate of the people."

The British people first voted in favor of Brexit in a June 2016 referendum, but the years since have seen the process of finalizing the divorce move in fits and starts, something Johnson has vowed to end.