UK's Johnson gathers allies at Chequers ahead of parliamentary showdown

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gathered his closest aides and allies at his country residence on Sunday ahead of a looming parliamentary showdown over his decision to suspend parliament. Johnson, along with Conservative government whips, key officials and top advisor Dominic Cummings, met for lunch to discuss the government's stance at the prime minister's country retreat.

Johnson has pledged to take Britain out of the EU on October 31 with or without a deal on future relations with the bloc. The move to shut parliament for around a month in the period before that will hinder efforts by his opponents to stop him.