Brexit vote result – live: Boris Johnson suffers second humiliating defeat as MPs vote to block no deal but put May’s deal back on table on technicality
Follow updates from Westminster as they happened
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Boris Johnson‘s plan to call an early general election was rejected after his earlier bid to keep a no-deal Brexit on the table suffered a major blow.
The prime minister had called for a poll to be held on 15 October after legislation designed to prevent the UK crashing out of the EU on 31 October cleared the Commons on Tuesday.
But Labour and other opposition MPs refused to back the motion for a snap election, which needed a two-thirds majority in the Commons, while the risk of a no-deal exit remained.
The government failed to secure the support of two-thirds of MPs, with the Commons voting 298 to 56 – 136 short of the number needed.
Mr Johnson urged MPs to reflect on what he thinks is the “unsustainability of this position overnight and in the course of the next few days”.
See below for live updates
Meanwhile, Commons leader Jacob Rees Mogg and ex-Tory MP Dominic Grieve have been spotted sitting in the House of Lords.
Mr Grieve was kicked out of the Conservative Party on Tuesday night for voting against the government.
Alongside them were Labour’s Harriet Harman, the Mother of the Commons, former Tory MP Alistair Burt, another rebel who lost the whip on Tuesday, and Tory cabinet ministers Jake Berry and Brandon Lewis.
Privy counsellors have the right to sit on the steps of the Sovereign’s Throne in the Lords chamber during debates.
Here's an update on what's happening in the Lords from the Liberal Democrats Lords Twitter account: "Nothing much, pro Boris filibusters still waffling."
MPs are currently voting on prime minister Boris Johnson's motion for a general election on 15 October.
The results are in and the prime minister has suffered another loss after failing to obtain the two-thirds majority he needed.
298 voted in favour, 56 against.
The prime minister would have needed 434 votes to reach a two-third majority.
Boris Johnson accused Jeremy Corbyn of wanting to "stop the people from voting".
He said: "I think there is only one solution, I think he has become the first, to my knowledge, the first leader of the opposition in the democratic history of our country to refuse the invitation to an election.
"And I can only speculate as to the reasons behind his hesitation.
"The obvious conclusion, I'm afraid, is that he does not think he will win."
The prime minister said MPs should reflect overnight and in the coming days.
Sir Michael Fallon will stand down as a Tory MP after 31 years at the next general election.
Sir Michael thanked his constituents "for their support and encouragement".
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