Petition calls for UK to declare war on New Zealand to help win Covid-19 battle

A UK resident has come up with an unusual plan to beat Covid-19 in the country: have the government declare war on New Zealand, then immediately surrender.

By doing so, it's hoped Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern would become the leader of the UK as well.

While New Zealand has currently eliminated Covid-19, the coronavirus is still raging overseas; the UK has the third-highest death toll in the world, at more than 41,000.

According to the petition, declaring war then surrendering would invoke an international law which would see current UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson deposed and replaced with Ms Ardern.

Mr Johnson's actions during the outbreak have been widely criticised, with the petition organiser saying Ms Ardern "will do a much better job than the present bunch of clowns".

"I am sure they will treat us well in defeat and sort out a few other things while they are at it."

The petition gathered several hundred signatures but appears to have been deleted.