UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a heated debate with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in the parliament on Wednesday warned that he would push for snap general elections to be held on October 15 after lawmakers got the chance to block a no-deal Brexit
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th September, 2019) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a heated debate with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in the parliament on Wednesday warned that he would push for snap general elections to be held on October 15 after lawmakers got the chance to block a no-deal Brexit.Late on Tuesday, UK lawmakers voted 328 to 301 to take control of the following day's parliamentary agenda, which will allow them to introduce a bill forcing a three-month extension to the UK departure date. The results of the vote revealed that 21 members of Johnson's Conservative Party voted against him on Tuesday.
"Can I invite the leader of the opposition [Corbyn] to confirm, when he stands up shortly, that if that surrender bill is passed, he will allow the people of this country to have their view on what he is proposing to hand over in their name, with an election on October the 15th?" Johnson said, addressing Corbyn in the parliament.
Under UK law, Johnson must receive support from two-thirds of parliament in order to call snap elections.
Since assuming office, Johnson has been pushing for the withdrawal by the October 31 deadline even without a deal. Because he lost the parliamentary majority, Johnson can no longer guarantee that the UK lawmakers will ratify any potential deal should Brussels agree to renegotiate.
The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in 2016 but the withdrawal was delayed several times. After then-Prime Minister Theresa May failed to come up with an acceptable plan to leave the bloc by March 29 of this year, the deadline was moved to October 31.
