…as EU grants Brexit delay till Jan 31
British lawmakers have rejected an attempt by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to hold an early general election on December 12. Johnson, however, has said he will try again for a pre-Christmas election.
On Monday, Johnson, who sought to break the political deadlock over Brexit, failed to secure the required support of two-thirds of MPs of the 650 MPs under the Fixed Terms Parliament Act. The result was 299 votes for and 70 against.
“This House can no longer keep this country hostage. Millions of families and businesses cannot plan for the future,” he told MPs, adding that Parliament has become “dysfunctional.”
Johnson is aiming to secure a majority in parliament to be able to get the required support to approve his deal with the EU.
“Later on this evening, the government will give notice for the presentation a short bill an election on 12 December so we can finally get Brexit done. The house cannot any longer keep this country hostage. Now that no deal is off the table, we have a great new deal. It’s time to put that to the voters,” Johnson said.
The premier added that he would come back to Parliament on Tuesday with a Bill for a December 12 election that will require a simple majority rather than the two-thirds of MPs required for Monday’s vote.
“Because the majority required has not been reached, the noes have it,” House of Commons Speaker John Bercow said after the result was announced.
The European Union agreed earlier in the day to delay Brexit until January 31, said the bloc’s chairman, Donald Tusk.
“One way or another, we must proceed to an election,” Johnson told the parliament. – Press TV.
