Statecraft

UK Parliament seizes control in an attempt to avert no-deal Brexit

The UK Parliament is trying to block a “no-deal” Brexit — defying Boris Johnson and handing the new prime minister his first legislative defeat.

In other words, just another day in the ongoing Brexit saga.

On Tuesday, Parliament voted, 328 to 301, to seize control so it could debate a bill that would attempt to prevent the United Kingdom from leaving the European Union without a plan in place on October 31. About 20 members of Johnson’s Conservative Party rebelled against him for the vote. The vote was greeted with cheers, and cries of “not a good start, Boris!”

Johnson called attempts to delay Brexit “pointless” — and said that he would seek to put forward a motion calling for general elections.

This is a lot of drama, but it doesn’t change anything right now. Members of Parliament (MPs) have taken control, but they haven’t actually passed any legislation that would block a no-deal Brexit.