APD | British lawmakers block Johnson’s bid for snap election  

By APD writer Aditya Nugraha

Lawmakers at the United Kingdom (UK) parliament blocked the attempt of Prime Minister Boris Johnson to hold an early general election on December 12 in his bid to break political impasses over Brexit.

Johnson failed to get two-third of the 650 lawmakers’ supports in a Monday parliamentary voting tp ass his snap election proposal.

“Because the majority required has not been reached, the noes have it,” House of Commons Speaker John Bercow said after the voting result was announced.

Responding the results, Johnson said the situation was “utterly bewildering”, vowed to end the “paralysis” on Britain’s divorce from the European Union (EU).

“One way or another, we must proceed to an election,” he said in the parliament.

“Later on this evening the government will give notice of presentation of a short bill for an election on December 12 so we can finally get Brexit done,” he added.

Johnson’s new motion, expected to be debated and voted on Tuesday, is expected to propose that a call for an early election can be passed by a simple majority.

Johnson runs a minority Conservative government. He is pushing for a general election to try to secure a majority in parliament which would enable him to get the required support to approve his divorce deal with Brussels.

EU leaders earlier on Monday approved a third extension to the Brexit process until 31 January 2020. Johnson begrudgingly accepted this but urged them not to grant any more time after that.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)