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Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces more Brexit obstacles ahead of snap election vote
08:53, 04 September 2019
updated: 10:01, 04 September 2019
Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces another day of uncertainty after he failed to defeat a bid by opposition MPs to block a no-deal Brexit; faced a rebellion in his own party and lost his working majority after the deflection of one of his MPs to the Liberal Democrats.
The Prime Minister is expected to table plans for a snap election later today but that is also expected to run into difficulties.
His first challenge will be Prime Minister’s Question Time at midday.
Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats have indicated they will not support an election if the government refuses to take a no-deal option off table.
The Prime Minister's authority over his own party was badly diminished when 21 MPs, including the Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark, rebelled on a key vote on his plans to suspend Parliament for several weeks.
They joined forces with the opposition parties who had tabled a plan to wrest control of today's parliamentary business.
That has cleared the way for a vote on taking the option of a no-deal Brexit off the table.
They can also introduce a bill that would force Boris Johnson to ask to delay Brexit until at least until January 2020, rather than take the country out without a deal.
Greg Clark said he could not support his party on a no-deal Brexit, tweeting: “I know the harm that an abrupt no deal Brexit would do to our country and to my constituents. Parliament must be able to prevent that harm. So I voted for the legislation tonight, fully aware of the personal consequences.”
Mr Johnson has accused Labour of handing control of Brexit negotiations to the EU and bringing "more dither, more delay, more confusion".
But there is uncertainty about the date of any election, as Mr Johnson has tabled a motion in Parliament seeking approval for an "early general election" but has not specified when.
