The Prime Minister’s effort to muscle and cut his lawmakers out of things appears to have backfired….
The country seems to be wavering on a divorce from the European Union….
British lawmakers were preparing on Tuesday for one of the most critical showdowns of the country’s agonizing three-year Brexit battle, with Parliament expected to try to stop the government from leaving the European Union without an agreement — a maneuver that could prompt a third general election in four years.
On a day of high drama, one Conservative rebel, Phillip Lee, quit the party to join the Liberal Democrats, who have managed to stage a resurgence by positioning themselves as an unambiguously anti-Brexit party, a move that means that Prime Minister Boris Johnson no longer has a working majority in Parliament.
The practical effect of Mr. Lee’s announcement, and its effect on Mr. Johnson, was limited, however, because the government would fall only if it were defeated in a confidence motion.
Tory rebels and opposition MPs have cleared the first hurdle in their attempt to pass a law designed to prevent a no-deal Brexit.
Commons Speaker John Bercow granted them a debate and a vote on taking control of the Commons agenda.
If successful, they would be able to bring forward a bill seeking to delay the UK’s exit date beyond 31 October.
No 10 officials have warned the prime minister will push for an election if they succeed.
The debate – granted under a Commons rule to allow urgent discussion – can last up to three hours, with the main vote expected about 22.00 BST [= 5:00 p.m. U.S. EDT] …
‘Last opportunity’
More than 10 Conservative MPs rose to their feet in support of the emergency debate application, moved by colleague Sir Oliver Letwin.
MPs are asked to stand to show their support if there are audible objections in the Commons chamber.
Opening the debate, Sir Oliver said this week would be the last for Parliament to block a no-deal exit, before it was due to be suspended next week.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn urged MPs to support the move, arguing it would be the “last opportunity” for Parliament to block a no deal.
“If don’t take action today, we may not get another chance,” he said, adding the government had set the country on a “destructive” course.
But Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg criticised the Speaker’s decision to allow a vote on the debate, arguing it was “constitutionally irregular”….
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49573138
Boris HAS a problem….
Parliamentary Rebels defeat British government over Brexit
(BBC News, 10 minutes ago)
Tory rebels and opposition MPs have defeated the government in the first stage of their attempt to pass a law designed to prevent a no-deal Brexit.
The Commons voted 328 to 301 to take control of the agenda, meaning they can bring forward a bill seeking to delay the UK’s exit date.
In response, Boris Johnson said he would bring forward a motion for an early general election.
Jeremy Corbyn said the bill should be passed before an election was held.
In total 21 Tory MPs, including a number of ex-cabinet ministers, joined opposition parties to defeat the government.
The government warned in advance that it would remove the whip – effectively expel – any MPs who chose to vote against it.
The prime minister said the MPs’ bill would “hand control” of Brexit negotiations to the EU and bring “more dither, more delay, more confusion”.
He told MPs he had no choice but to press ahead with efforts to call an October election, adding: “The people of this country will have to choose.”
The result means the MPs will be able to take control of Commons business on Wednesday.
That will give them the chance to introduce a cross-party bill which would force the prime minister to ask for Brexit to be delayed until 31 January, unless MPs approve a new deal, or vote in favour of a no-deal exit, by 19 October.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49573555
Unlike OUR Congress?
British Lawmakers HAVE BALS!
How the parliamentary parties broke down:
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/117E2/production/_108605617_030919_commons_business_dots-nc.png
Conservative 21-286
Dem. Unionist 0-10
Independent 8-3
Labour 240-2
Scottish National Party 34-0
Liberal Democrats 15-0
The Ind. Group for Change 5-0
Plaid Cymru (the Welsh Party) 4-0
Green Party (of England & Wales) 1-0
Yes; Boris Johnson will call for an early general election (for which he need the consent of 2/3 of the House of Commons):
(from Sienna Rodgers at Labour List this evening)
Boris Johnson has moved a motion under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act for a snap election, which the government has said would take place on October 15th. MPs are set to vote on it tomorrow, after considering the Benn Bill opposing no deal.
Labour has confirmed that it will support a motion for an early election as soon as the legislation preventing no deal on October 31st and extending Article 50 becomes law, which the party expects to be by Friday night.
But a number of Labour MPs have told LabourList that they are concerned about the party leadership not planning to wait for Johnson to request the Article 50 extension. They do not trust that the Prime Minister will necessarily abide by the Benn Bill, although he assured the Commons that he would do so this afternoon.
“The leader of the opposition has been begging for an election for two years. He has crowds of supporters outsider calling for an election,” the Prime Minister told the chamber following his heavy defeat at the hands of anti-no deal MPs tonight.
“I don’t want an election but if MPs vote tomorrow to stop negotiations and to compel another pointless delay to Brexit, potentially for years, then that would be the only way to resolve this and I can confirm that we are tonight tabling a motion under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act.”
In response to the vote result and Johnson’s statement, Jeremy Corbyn said: “I welcome tonight’s vote. We live in a parliamentary democracy; we do not have a presidency, but a Prime Minister. Prime Ministers govern with the consent of the House of Commons, representing the people in whom the sovereignty rests….
https://labourlist.org/2019/09/johnson-moves-motion-for-early-election-after-heavy-defeat/
Today’s House of Commons schedule (BBC, Weds 4 Sept):
[Times converted to North American Eastern Daylight Time]
7 a.m. Boris Johnson’s first Prime Minister’s Questions
8 a.m. Chancellor of the Exchequer expected to make Spending Round statement
10 a.m. Debate begins on bill to delay Brexit
12 noon First vote on Brexit delay bill
2 p.m. Second round of votes (2nd reading) before bill moves to the House of Lords
3:30 p.m. Possible government motion to hold general election in October (rather than 2022), followed by vote (passage needs 2/3 of House of Commons)
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/E024/production/_108608375_brexit_events_03_09_19_v2_inf640-nc.png
Boris Johnson will call for a general election on 15 October if Labour and rebel Tories succeed in blocking a no-deal Brexit.
He challenged Jeremy Corbyn to put his policy of “dither and delay” over EU withdrawal to the British people.
Mr Johnson needs the support of two-thirds of MPs to trigger an election.
But shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer told Labour MPs the leadership would not back an election until a delay had been agreed with the EU.
Chancellor Sajid Javid is now presenting his spending plan to MPs in the Commons, with the health service, education and the police expected to fare well.
He told MPs the government had “turned the page on austerity”, outlining £13.8bn of investment on areas including health and education.
Mr Javid said it was the fastest spending increase for 15 years, but the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, accused him of “meaningless platitudes”.
Meanwhile, No 10’s decision to expel 21 Tory MPs for defying the party whip on Tuesday continues to causes recriminations in the party….
And in Scotland, a judge has rejected a bid to have Mr Johnson’s plan to shut down Parliament ahead of Brexit declared illegal.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49574217
Any polling numbers for Corbyn around?
FLASH Boris Johnson’s call for general election rejected by MPs
BBC, about 5 minutes ago
Boris Johnson has faced a double defeat in the Commons after MPs turned down his motion for a general election.
Earlier, MPs backed a bill aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit if the PM hadn’t agreed a plan with the EU ahead of the 31 October deadline.
Mr Johnson said the bill “scuppered” negotiations and the only way forward now was an election.
But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the PM of “playing a disingenuous game” to force a no-deal Brexit.
He said his party would back an election after the bill had been passed, but not before.
Both the SNP and the Liberal Democrats also criticised the prime minister’s motion as a plot to make sure the UK left the EU without a deal.
But supporters of Mr Johnson hit back at opposition members who had been calling for a general election for two years.
Mr Johnson wanted MPs to agree to an early general election on 15 October, saying the bill – which forces him to ask for an extension to the Brexit deadline if no deal had been agreed – left him unable to negotiate a deal.
He needed two thirds of all MPs to vote in favour under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, but the result only saw 298 vote for the motion and 56 against – 136 short of the number he needed.
Labour sources told the BBC the party abstained on the vote, although three MPs appeared to have voted for it and 28 against.
The SNP also abstained.
The bill to block no deal passed all its stages in the Commons in one day, with the support of most opposition parties and 21 Tory rebels, as they tried to push it through ahead of Parliament being suspended next week.
It will now go to the Lords for approval.
Peers are debating a business motion on how to move forward with the bill – but pro-Brexit peers have laid down over 100 amendments to derail its progress….
much more at https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49584907
The Gaurdian
@thegaurdian
Cornered Boris Johnson suffers triple Commons defeat
The Guardian
@theguardian
Cornered Boris Johnson suffers triple Commons defeat
Jo Johnson, the younger brother of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is resigning as an MP and minister, saying he is “torn between family loyalty and the national interest”.
The business minister and Tory MP for Orpington, south-east London, cited an “unresolvable tension” in his role.
Mr Johnson voted Remain in the 2016 EU membership referendum, while his brother co-led the Leave campaign.
He resigned as a minister last year in protest at Theresa May’s Brexit deal.
But he re-entered government during the summer, after Conservative Party members elected his brother as leader….
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49594793