UK: Government on Monday to again call for election

By Asif Hussain

LONDON (AA) - Amid a week of bruising defeats for Boris Johnson's government, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of Britain's House of Commons, announced Thursday that the government will submit another motion to call for a snap general election.

The government failed to get the two-thirds majority needed in the vote it brought to parliament Wednesday after the Labour party abstained.

Labour and other opposition parties say they will not back a general election until after a bill blocking a no-deal Brexit on Oct. 31, known as the Benn Bill after it was proposed by MP Hilary Benn, becomes law.

This is likely to happen by next Monday after parliament's upper chamber, the House of Lords, decided not to block the bill.

There is still internal debate in the Labour Party over the best timing for a general election, and whether they can trust the current government to abide by the law blocking no-deal.

It is therefore uncertain whether Monday’s motion will pass, and if it does, when an election may be held.