London: In a historic weekend Parliament session, the first in 37 years, British MPs on Saturday voted to back a motion that delays the vote on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit deal struck with the European Union (EU).
In a setback to Johnson, the 322 versus 306 vote on an important amendment means that the UK prime minister is bound by the Benn Act passed earlier by the parliamentarians to write to the EU by midnight on Saturday seeking a delay to the October 31 deadline as no new deal has been passed in the House of Commons by the October 19 cut-off date.
While Johnson and some of his team have previously said that he will abide by the rule of law, it remains unclear what the next steps are expected from Downing Street.
Johnson declared in Parliament soon after Saturday's vote that he will not be seeking an extension to the end-October Brexit deadline, adding that "I will do all I can to get Brexit done by October 31.
At the special Parliament session, dubbed 'Super Saturday' because of its significance, UK MPs backed an amendment tabled by Conservative Party MP Oliver Letwin demanding that no new Brexit deal be voted on until the requisite legislation to see it through in time for the October 31 deadline was in place.
The government had already indicated that it would pull its own motion on Johnson's great new deal and move it to next week if MPs were to back the delaying amendment, introduced as an insurance policy against a default no-deal crash-out by the month-end deadline.
Johnson stressed that he was neither daunted nor dismayed by Saturday's vote and that the government would place the required legislation around his new EU withdrawal agreement next week, expected to be tabled on Monday and then voted on Tuesday.
EU urges to explain Brexit plan
The European Commission urged British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government on Saturday to quickly explain how it wants to proceed with Brexit preparations after losing another parliamentary vote.
Spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said Brussels "takes note of the vote in the House of Commons today on the so-called Letwin Amendment meaning that the Withdrawal Agreement itself was not put to vote today. "It will be for the UK government to inform us about the next steps as soon as possible," she tweeted.
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🇪🇺🇬🇧 @EU_Commission takes note of the vote in the House of Commons today on the so-called #Letwin Amendment meaning that the #WithdrawalAgreement itself was not put to vote today. It will be for the UK government to inform us about the next steps as soon as possible.
— Mina Andreeva (@Mina_Andreeva) October 19, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">🇪🇺🇬🇧 @EU_Commission takes note of the vote in the House of Commons today on the so-called #Letwin Amendment meaning that the #WithdrawalAgreement itself was not put to vote today. It will be for the UK government to inform us about the next steps as soon as possible.
— Mina Andreeva (@Mina_Andreeva) October 19, 2019🇪🇺🇬🇧 @EU_Commission takes note of the vote in the House of Commons today on the so-called #Letwin Amendment meaning that the #WithdrawalAgreement itself was not put to vote today. It will be for the UK government to inform us about the next steps as soon as possible.
— Mina Andreeva (@Mina_Andreeva) October 19, 2019
What opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said
Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn declared that the 'Super Saturday' vote was a clear message from MPs that they have declined to back the prime minister's deal.
Corbyn said that it was a 'historic day for parliament' adding, "We believe that ultimately the people must have the final say on Brexit, which actually only the Labour Party is offering. Today is a historic day for Parliament because it said it will not be blackmailed by a Prime Minister who is apparently prepared once again to defy a law passed by this parliament."
Anti-Brexit Protesters cheer outside parliament
Celebrities and politicians joined tens of thousands of anti-Brexit protesters in central London on Saturday as Boris Johnson dealt with the defeat of his new European Union divorce deal in Parliament.
Protesters, many wearing blue berets emblazoned with yellow stars symbolising the EU flag, packed the streets surrounding the Houses of Parliament.
Organisers of the 'People's Vote' said that they wanted a second referendum on the terms of the UK Prime Minister's deal.
Brexit supporters dismay with further delay
Brexiteers in London were dismayed with a further delay to Brexit after UK lawmakers voted to postpone a decision on whether to back Prime Minister Boris Johnson's divorce deal with the European Union.
Brexiteer Derek Marshall said that he was equally as disgusted with the parliamentary procedure over the past three years, saying lawmakers weren't interested in democracy, but rather in 'feathering their own nests'.
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