Irish PM says will not call election as no-deal Brexit risk remains

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Wednesday said he would not call an election this year due to the continued risk of a chaotic British exit from the European Union.

Varadkar faced calls from some Irish lawmakers to call an election around the same time as the British election on Dec. 12 to take advantage of a three-month delay to Britain's EU exit, which is now scheduled for Jan. 31.

"We could find ourselves in a difficult period between Dec. 12 and Jan. 31 not knowing if the Brexit agreement will be ratified, not knowing if the new government may seek renegotiation, potentially even facing into the risk of a no-deal Brexit on Jan. 31," Varadkar told journalists in Dublin.