After a bruising week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson entered the warm embrace of his Conservative party's annual conference on Sunday vowing to "get Brexit done".
Despite a string of parliamentary setbacks and a defeat in the Supreme Court, Mr Johnson insists he will take Britain out of the European Union next month, with or without a deal with Brussels.
Boris Johnson last week faced backlash from furious MPs on over his use of confrontational language in Parliament. Source: UK PARLIAMENT
"What we need to do is to move on. And the way to do that is to get Brexit done on October 31," he told BBC television in Manchester, northwest England, where the conference is taking place.
His tough stance has put him at odds with many of his own MPs in the House of Commons, who helped passed a law blocking a "no-deal" exit - an outcome they fear would be hugely disruptive.
But the tough talk resonates with the pro-Brexit party members who elected him in July, and who held up signs on the conference floor with the "Get Brexit Done" slogan.
In what is likely to be the centre-right party's final gathering before a general election, several ministers took the stage on Sunday repeating that only the Conservatives would deliver on the 2016 referendum vote to leave the EU.
"While the difficulties caused by leaving without a deal will pass, the damage to our democracy in not getting Brexit done would endure and resound for much longer," said Michael Gove, the minister for Brexit preparations.
However, none of the ministers offered insight on how Johnson will overcome his main hurdle: getting a divorce deal with the EU in the next few weeks - the only legal way to keep to the 31 October deadline.
'Model of restraint'
The PM has had a turbulent two months in office, having suffered seven successive defeats in the Commons - in the process losing his majority.
He expelled 21 Conservative MPs when they backed a law requiring him to ask EU leaders to delay Brexit if he cannot get a divorce deal by a Brussels summit on 17-18 October.
Rachel Johnson, sister of Boris Johnson, on board a boat taking part in a pro-EU counter demonstration during the Brexit campaign in 2016. Source: AAP
After the Supreme Court ruled his suspension of parliament unlawful, Mr Johnson challenged opposition parties to bring down his government.
But the Labour party said it will do nothing to bring about an election until a "no-deal" Brexit is no longer possible.
Mr Johnson has responded with defiance and focused his ire on MPs, accusing them of "surrendering" to the EU and trying to undermine the 2016 referendum vote to leave.
His rhetoric drew accusations of stoking division, but he insisted Sunday he had been a "model of restraint".
While condemning rising numbers of attacks on MPs, he accused his rivals of trying to obscure their motives in a "great cloud of indignation".
Maximise 'leave' support
The tough talk pitching him against parliament appears to be winning over pro-Brexit voters.
Two surveys this week, by YouGov and Opinium, put the Conservatives 11 and 12 points ahead of the Labour main opposition.
"What he's trying to do is maximise support among Leave voters," Chris Curtis, a political research manager at YouGov, told AFP.
The EU dealt a heavy blow to the PM's new Brexit proposals on Friday. Source: AAP
Poll numbers matter because, with parliament deadlocked, most commentators expect an election in the next few months.
But Mr Johnson must overcome a key hurdle before then.
The law passed by MPs means he can only deliver Brexit on 31 October if he gets a divorce deal.
But few in Brussels are optimistic and the latest round of talks ended on Friday without a breakthrough.
Anti-Brexit protestors demonstrate outside The Supreme Court in London on Tuesday. Source: AAP
Constantine Fraser, an analyst on European politics at investment service TS Lombard, said Mr Johnson's team were running out of options.
"Their response is going to be to come out fighting," he told AFP.
'Full propriety'
In a further headache for Mr Johnson, a police watchdog is looking into whether he should face investigation over his links to a US tech entrepreneur.
The Sunday Times newspaper alleged he was having an affair with former model Jennifer Arcuri while he was London mayor.
It claims he failed to declare a series of potential conflicts of interest over benefits provided to her business.
The premier insisted on Sunday: "Everything was done with full propriety."
