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
Okay. Brace yourself for this one. The Sunday Times’ Tim Shipman says one of his Tory sources told him Boris Johnson’s right-hand man Dominic Cummings shouted at Jeremy Corbyn in a corridor in Portcullis House: “Come on Jeremy let’s do this election, don’t be scared.”
After an initial denial by Labour, two Labour witnesses have said it was largely true.
Labour MP Cat Smith’s version of events was that she “thought there was some loud bloke who stunk of booze yelling at us”.
BREAKING: Boris Johnson’s planned prorogation of parliament is lawful, a judge at the highest court in Scotland has found.
Legal action aimed at preventing the UK government suspending parliament ahead of the Brexit deadline of 31 October was considered at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
Lord Doherty revealed his decision that the prorogation was lawful on Wednesday morning. It followed claims the prime minister wants to limit MPs’ scrutiny and their attempts to stop a no-deal Brexit.
The European press has reacted to another wild 24 hours in British politics. The Irish Times’ went with the headline: “Welcome to the United Kingdom of Absurdistan”.
Our Europe correspondent Jon Stone has this handy round-up of the top stories across the continent.
Reacting to the Court of Session decision on prorogation, petitioner Ian Murray, Labour MP, said: “The fight against Boris Johnson’s assault on democracy and his plan to crash the UK out of the EU goes on.
“There will be an appeal on this ruling, and there is another court case taking place in England.
“But the main battle is currently in parliament, where the prime minister has lost his majority and does not have the support of the House for his dangerous plan to impose a no-deal Brexit on the country.
“We have wrested control of parliamentary business and will attempt to pass a law that makes a no deal Brexit illegal. We will also fight to secure a final say for the people of the UK on Brexit and we must campaign to remain in the EU.”
Rebecca Tan has more on Sir Winston Churchill’s grandson getting pushed out of the Conservative party.
Young Conservatives for a People’s Vote are holding a protest outside CCHQ at 6pm.
The group says it is angry about the mass deselection of rebel MPs, the undemocratic prorogation of parliament and the relentless pursuit of a No Deal Brexit.
Jordan Byrne, head of the group fighting for a second Brexit referendum, said: ‘’The mainstream, centre-ground majority are watching on in horror as the prime minister plays with their futures and lives, removes their parliament from sitting and expels moderate MPs. They will vote with their feet and we will be unelectable for a generation.”
Boris Johnson has left Downing Street following this morning’s cabinet meeting.
There was a moment of confusion when the prime minister almost climbed into the wrong car as he stepped out of No 10, but he then sped off in a vehicle accompanied by adviser Dominic Cummings.
Leaving No 10 shortly before the PM, leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg did not answer when asked if he “had a good sleep”. He was pictured lounging on the Commons benches on Tuesday.
How happy are Labour MPs with the idea of agreeing to a snap general election?
Nick Brown, Labour’s chief whip, reportedly told a Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) meeting last night that the leadership wanted to leave the PM to “stew in his own juices” for a while.
According to The Times, “upwards of half” of the parliamentary party were opposed to agreeing to an early general election.
Paul Waugh of The Huffington Post suggests many want to allow the next couple of months to play out without going to the polls, leaving Boris Johnson to stew in his own juices until an election is more winnable.
The European Parliament’s Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt has waded into the row over Sir Nicholas Soames’ expulsion from the Conservative party.
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