'Brexit Delay is Betrayal of Voters' - UK PM Johnson's Spokesman

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The UK government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed not to counter a bill to avoid the country’s withdrawal from the European Union without a deal on 31 October and it will be passed by the upper house by 5:00 p.m. (16:00 GMT) on Friday, Philip Hunt, a Labour Peer in the House of Lords, said on Thursday.

According to a spokesman for Boris Johnson, the British PM will demand a snap election on Thursday, stating that another Brexit delay would be a betrayal of voters who backed Brexit in 2016.

A law aimed at stopping the country from leaving the bloc "would, in essence, overturn the biggest democratic vote in our history – the 2016 referendum", Johnson's spokesman stated.

In the meantime, the House of Commons, the lower house of the UK Parliament, adopted a bill on delaying Brexit on Wednesday and then passed it to the House of Lords, the legislative body's upper house. The Lords have been using a so-called filibustering strategy to prevent the legislation on leaving the bloc even if a deal is not reached on 31 October from being passed.

"Government ends filibuster in the Lords. Agrees Brexit Bill will complete passage in the Lords by 5.00 pm Friday", Hunt wrote on Twitter.

Government ends filibuster in the Lords. Agrees Brexit Bill will complete passage in the Lords by 5.00 pm Friday.

— Philip Hunt (@LordPhilofBrum) September 5, 2019

The UK House of Commons earlier adopted a piece of legislation to delay Brexit beyond 31 October in the absence of an agreement with the EU. Following the decision, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that there must be an election on 15 October.

However, Boris Johnson on Wednesday failed to win the approval of enough members of Parliament to go ahead with an early election. Some 298 MPs voted in favour of an early election, while the backing of at least 434 UK lawmakers was needed to move forward with an early election.

Government at Risk

According to Wyn Grant, professor of international politics at Warwick University, the current situation is quite dangerous for Tories.

"Boris Johnson has suffered a series of humiliating defeats in the Commons and his position as prime minister is in jeopardy. The Conservative Party is even more deeply divided and has lost a considerable number of experienced and well respected MPs. A general election before too long is highly likely, but whether it will be in October or November remains undecided", he explained.

Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray reacts with an anti-Brexit marching band outside the Houses of the Parliament in London, Britain September 3, 2019

© REUTERS / HENRY NICHOLLS

Grant noted that opposition wants to be sure that a no-deal Brexit on October 31st can be avoided before giving their approval to an election.

Views and opinions, expressed by professor Wyn Grant do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.