Boris Johnson plans to table motion for a snap general election

Boris Johnson in the House of Commons. Photograph: Roger Harris/UK Parliament/PA Wire. - Credit: PA

Boris Johnson has reacted with fury to MPs plans to scupper a no-deal Brexit by announcing that he will seek to trigger a snap general election.

The prime minister said he would table a motion under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act.

But Labour indicated that they would not support the move until chances of a no-deal Brexit were taken off the table.

Johnson told the House of Commons after he was defeated in his first vote: “The consequences of this vote tonight means that parliament is on the brink of wrecking any deal that we might be able to get in Brussels.

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“It will hand control of the negotiations to the EU.”

He continued: “I don’t want an election but if MPs vote tomorrow to stop the negotiations and to compel another pointless delay of Brexit, potentially for years, then that will be the only way to resolve this.

“I can confirm that tonight we will are tabling a motion under the Fixed-term Parliament Act.”

Moments earlier MPs voted in favour of allowing a cross-party alliance to take control of the Commons agenda on Wednesday in a bid to block a no-deal Brexit on October 31 by 328 votes to 301, a majority of 27.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said told the prime minister: “He wants to table a motion for a general election, fine.

“Get the Bill through first in order to take no deal off the table.”