The thing is that the other 27 CAN’T legally kick them out. The one holding the keys is the UK.
The UK decided on March 2017 that it would leave on March 31, 2019. The UK decided twice to ask for a delay.
Now the exit date is October 31. The other 27 can’t tell them to leave before that. They can’t tell them no to an extension, but then they would get the blame for the post-Brexit crash, which they don’t want
Note that Johnson said that a post-Brexit trade deal with the USA would take years.
I’m having trouble understanding, nor do I want to, why it’s so difficult. You’re either in or your out. I realize that there are some details that would need to be worked out, but at the end of the day, you’re in the EU and will abide by it’s agreed upon policies, or your not. I guess it’s like a next level, international Mafia-like thing.
What Boris actually said, and please note my use of quotes, is that a trade deal “may take some time”.
Not if Trump engages personally.