Boris Johnson will have to ask EU to delay Brexit after Parliament blocks vote on his deal

The Prime Minister had brought forward a vote on the deal he agreed with EU leaders this week.
However, former Conservative MPs joined with opposition parties to block the vote until after Johnson has brought forward the legislation required to implement his deal.
The move was designed to prevent Johnson from taking Britain out of the EU at the end of October without a deal agreed by Parliament.
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Boris Johnson will be forced to ask the EU to delay Brexit, after Members of Parliament voted against holding a vote to approve his deal with the EU.

The House of Commons had been due to vote on Saturday afternoon on whether to approve the deal Johnson agreed this week with European leaders.

However, Members of Parliament instead voted by 322 to 306 votes for an amendment which delays the vote on Johnson's deal until after Johnson has passed the deal into UK law.

Responding to the vote, Johnson said he regretted that "alas, the opportunity to have a meaningful vote has effectively been passed up because the meaningful vote has been voided of meaning."

This means that Johnson will now be legally obliged to write to the EU requesting another delay to Brexit, under the terms of a law passed last month by opposition MPs.

The prime minister had pleaded with Conservative MP Oliver Letwin, who brought forward the amendment, to withdraw it in order to allow a parliamentary vote on his deal.

However, Letwin insisted that the amendment was required as an "insurance policy" in order to prevent Johnson's government from taking the UK out of the EU after the Brexit deadline of October 31.

A Downing Street source insisted that the vote meant that "the government will step up no deal preparations immediately."

Despite the warnings, Johnson's government intends to push ahead with the legislation designed to implement his agreement, after a number of Labour MPs signaled on Saturday that they will support it.

Will the EU approve another Brexit delay

juncker.JPG Reuters

The French President Emmanuel Macron also spoke out against another extension on Friday, saying he saw no reason why one should take place.

However, EU leaders have yet to rule one out, with European Council President Donald Tusk saying on Thursday that European leaders would consider any request for another delay.

The Vice President of the European Parliament also signaled on Thursday that a request would ultimately be approved in order to prevent "a no deal scenario."

One senior EU source told Business Insider this week that "I do know that there will be [a Brexit extension] offered if vote goes down Saturday."

However, EU leaders may choice to delay any response until after Johnson has put his Brexit Withdrawal Agreement legislation to a vote, expected to take place on Tuesday.

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Boris Johnson will have to ask EU to delay Brexit after Parliament blocks vote on his deal

Will the EU approve another Brexit delay

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