Boris Johnson's bid for early UK election rejected

By Ivana Kottasová and Bianca Britton, CNN

Updated 2:19 p.m. ET, September 8, 2019
47 Posts
Sort byDropdown arrow
2:52 p.m. ET, September 4, 2019

BREAKING: House of Commons passes Brexit delay bill

British lawmakers have passed a bill aimed at preventing a no-deal Brexit, in another blow to Prime Minster Boris Johnson.

It cleared the House of Commons by 327 votes to 299.

It now goes to the House of Lords where it will likely face extensive delaying tactics.

Conservative peers, who do not have a majority in the upper house, want to prevent the motion being passed in Wednesday's session. If they succeed, that could prevent it becoming law before Johnson suspends Parliament early next week.

2:48 p.m. ET, September 4, 2019

Wait, what? An amendment just passed by accident

Here's a surprise. One of the amendments to the bill seeking to block no-deal Brexit has passed through the House of Commons -- possibly by accident.

The vote on the amendment was cancelled, because no tellers were available. Tellers are the four MPs who are appointed to verify the count of the votes. Two represent those voting for the debated bill and the other two are there for those voting against.

According to news agency PA, no tellers for the "noes" were put forward. It is unclear whether this was deliberate or an accident.

As for the accidental amendment, it is Labour MP Stephen Kinnock's amendment, which was put forward by a small group of Labour lawmakers.

It seeks to bring the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated by former Prime Minister Theresa May back for another vote in the House of Commons. The deal has previously been rejected by lawmakers three times.

2:39 p.m. ET, September 4, 2019

Brexit petition to be debated Monday

An online petition calling on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to cancel plans to suspend Parliament will be debated on Monday, according to news agency PA. 

The official petition was posted on the UK Government and Parliament Petitions page shortly after last week's suspension announcement.

The petition has more than 1.7 million signatures.

2:36 p.m. ET, September 4, 2019

Happening now: Parliament is voting to prevent no-deal Brexit

British lawmakers are voting on a bill that would block Prime Minister Boris Johnson from taking the country out of the European Union without a deal on October 31.

2:20 p.m. ET, September 4, 2019

"We must defend our rights"

From CNN's Cristiana Moisescu in Westminster

The protests outside Parliament have attracted people of all ages.

Chris, pictured below right, is a 58-year-old retired teacher who has strong beliefs about the importance of Parliament.

“Ordinary people have only got three things from stopping the full force of the state -- civil institutions, a free press and parliament," he said.

 "All three are precious and we need them -- many countries in the world are run by dictators and we are being complacent -- we must defend our rights.”

Standing next to him is Margaret, a 70-year-old retired TV producer, who said she was at the protest because she felt that when women won their right to vote, they did so to participate in the parliamentary process.

"That only a hundred years later we have a PM who wants to prorogue [suspend] Parliament and prevent debate about such an important issue ... come on women, we have got to go there and show that we really mind about this,” she said.

2:11 p.m. ET, September 4, 2019

Trump lends backing to Johnson: "He knows how to win"

From CNN's Maegan Vazquez

US President Donald Trump had some well wishes for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, amid the high-stakes political battle over Brexit.

“Boris is a friend of mine and he’s -- he’s going at it there’s no question about it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a briefing on Hurricane Dorian. “He’s in there fighting.”

President Trump talks to reporters following a briefing from officials about Hurricane Dorian in the Oval Office.
President Trump talks to reporters following a briefing from officials about Hurricane Dorian in the Oval Office. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Trump continued, saying Johnson “knows how to win.”

“Don’t worry about him. He’s going to be okay,” Trump added, noting that the UK has “a very big stake in the Bahamas,” which has been heavily hit by the storm.

The Bahamas is part of the Commonwealth of Nations but it gained its independence from Britain in the 1970s.

2:04 p.m. ET, September 4, 2019

Happening now: MPs are voting on amendments to a bill blocking no-deal Brexit

Debate has ended and British lawmakers are voting on amendments to a bill that would block Prime Minister Boris Johnson from taking the country out of the European Union without a deal on October 31.

Here is what's going on:

  • The MPs are now voting on amendments to the bill -- this is their chance to change the wording of the bill before the final Commons vote.
  • Once that's done, they will vote on the bill as a whole.

MPs are voting by joining one of the two division lobbies adjacent to the main chamber.

1:53 p.m. ET, September 4, 2019

Johnson uses Thatcher insult against Corbyn

Prime Minister Boris Johnson dubbed Jeremy Corbyn "frit and chicken" over the opposition leader's refusal to support the government’s call for a snap election.

The word "frit" which means frightened was famously used by former prime minister Margaret Thatcher in 1983.

Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Leon Neal/Getty Images

Johnson addressed a group of backbench Members of Parliament, known as the 1922 Committee Wednesday, and later told reporters: "I also made it clear that I thought that if Jeremy Corbyn was going to effectively hand over the prerogative of the British to decide how long this country can remain in the EU to the EU, then that was a question that really should be adjudicated by the British people themselves.

"I'm surprised that he seems to be frit and chicken."

Corbyn has said he would only agree to an election after a law is passed removing the risk of a no-deal Brexit.

1:22 p.m. ET, September 4, 2019

Protesters are back -- this time with costumes

Activists from both sides of the Brexit debate have been gathering in front of Parliament for months. But as lawmakers debate a key bill to stop a no-deal Brexit on Wednesday, some of those protesting have dressed for the occasion.

One protester was wearing a Boris Johnson costume during the demonstration.
One protester was wearing a Boris Johnson costume during the demonstration. Photo: Oli SCARFF / AFP

The bananas sticking out of the protester dressed up as Boris Johnson are presumably a reference to the Prime Minister's former career as a Brussels correspondent.

He was famous for writing sensational stories about European regulations -- such as the one suggesting the bloc was trying to ban bendy bananas, a Euromyth the EU has repeatedly debunked.

Another protestor used the occasion to dress up as Conservative lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg. The arch-Brexiteer has been dubbed the "MP for the 18th century" because of his eccentric personality and adoration for traditions.

Another activist dressed up as Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Another activist dressed up as Jacob Rees-Mogg. Photo: ISABEL INFANTES/AFP/Getty Images