September 4, 2019

LONDON (AP) — On a day of humiliating setbacks, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered a major defeat in Parliament on Tuesday night as rebellious lawmakers voted to seize control of the Brexit agenda, prompting the embattled leader to say he would call for a new general election.

The 328 to 301 vote, made possible by 21 fellow Conservatives who turned their back on Johnson’s pleas and face ejection from the party, cleared the way for his opponents to introduce a bill Wednesday that would seek to prevent Britain from leaving the European Union without a deal Oct. 31. It was a momentous day in Britain’s Parliament as the legislature rose up to successfully challenge the power of the prime minister over vital Brexit policy. If Johnson enjoyed a brief honeymoon since taking power in July, it came to abrupt end Tuesday when he faced his first vote — and a startling defeat — in Parliament.

There is still no clarity about how and when Britain will leave the prosperous EU bloc as the tortuous Brexit process nears a climax more than three years after the original vote to leave. A new election would set the stage for a brutal battle over whether voters favor a “no-deal” Brexit, more negotiations, or possibly a fresh referendum on the entire question of leaving the EU.

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