WEB DESK

BRITISH MPs have once again rejected Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s calls for a snap election, as the five-week suspension of Parliament begins.

In all, 293 MPs voted for the prime minister’s motion for an early poll, far short of the number needed.

Earlier, opposition MPs confirmed they would not back the push for a 15 October poll, insisting a law blocking a no-deal Brexit must be implemented.

Mr Johnson has been warned he could face legal action for flouting it.

Ministers have called the law “lousy” and said they would “test to the limit” what it required of them.

At present, UK law states that the country will leave the EU on 31 October, regardless of whether a withdrawal deal has been agreed with Brussels or not.

But the new legislation, which was granted royal assent on Monday, changes that, and will force the PM to seek a delay to 31 January 2020 unless a deal – or a no-deal exit – is approved by MPs by 19 October.