UK prime minister Boris Johnson's bid to trigger a snap election backfired on Wednesday after he failed to gain two-thirds support from MPs in Commons, leading to a series of reprimands from expelled Tory MPs and a host of defections and resignations, including the PM's own brother, Jo Johnson, on Thursday, forcing the Brexit beast further down the rabbit hole.
Mr Johnson suffered also three defeats in two days after Labour and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn and his band of Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party (SNP), Greens and others pushed through the 'Hilary Benn' bill that could potentially force the Tory-led government to seek an extension to the 31 October deadline from the European Union to January 2020, which the British Prime Minister has repeatedly said he would not do.
With only 59 days left on Britain's Brexit clock ticking down and Mr Johnson's parliamentary suspension set to begin on 10 September, the future of the UK has been left hanging in the balance, with analysts and pundits left in the dark.
Sputnik takes a quick in its political crystal ball to find out more on Britain's Brexit-y future.
What's happening with the Benn bill?
As of Friday, the Anti-Brexit Brigade has mustered everything in its power to block a no-deal withdrawal from the EU, despite it is looming on the horizon. The House of Lords is debating on the Article 50 delay bill under pressure as Boris Johnson's prorogation of Parliament is set to begin on 10 September.
Pro-Leave Lords even took to filibustering the bill, a process of talking for hours until time to debate runs out, but will still vote at 17:00 GMT on Friday, giving Commons the chance to launch debates on upper house amendments and expedite sending the finished product to the Queen for Royal Ascent on Monday.
— House of Lords (@UKHouseofLords) September 5, 2019
If approved, the British Prime Minister would have no choice but to delay withdrawing from the EU until 31 January, save for if Commons approves a fresh Brexit deal or backs a no-deal scenario by 19 October, making the next few months a coin toss of a final scenario.
What Could Happen Next On Brexit?
In short: nobody knows. Despite efforts from Labour's opposition coalition to kick the Brexit can down the road to January 2020, it still does not guarantee that Brussels will accommodate any new proposals from London.
The EU still has to unanimously approve any proposals amongst its remaining (no pun intended) 27 member states and Brussels is expecting a solid excuse from the pro-EU faction of Westminster to renegotiate May's withdrawal plan, which the UK Parliament has already voted down three times and debated over three years for its obsequious terms and conditions. But Boris Johnson could frustrate efforts from Commons as he is the main arbiter representing Parliament, which he could simply refuse to do in a Jacob-Rees Mogg fashion, as he has pledged to take the UK out of the EU by 31 October, even without a deal.
— Alliance of British Entrepreneurs (@AllianceBE) September 5, 2019
The political hangover is expected to continue, frustrating MPs, ministers and Europeans on both sides of the English Channel, with tensions set to rise as the UK approaches the 31 October deadline. Should European ministers refuse to renegotiate May's withdrawal plan, or Commons fail to propose a better solution, then the 'Remainer' class are in for an ignominious fall from grace in the eyes of the British people as a no-deal scenario unfolds despite their good intentions, and snap elections will ensue.
Snap, Crackle, Pop! Elections
The British Prime Minister failed to gain support for a snap election from Parliament on Wednesday after MPs voted 298 to 56 in support of doing so, well below the 434 votes needed to trigger the polls, a move which would have helped Johnson to strengthen his negotiating terms with Brussels during an EU leaders summit 17 to 18 October if successful.
Whilst Mr Corbyn has backed snap elections numerous time in recent months, he has stated that he will only do so after his Brexit delay bill has been passed in Parliament and refuses to hold elections until after the 31 October deadline, drawing praise and condemnation from both sides of the debate.
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) September 3, 2019
But most UK media has remained silent on what will happen when the Brexit party fields its 650 parliamentary candidates (PPCs) in snap elections. The rising Party has threatened to fight both Conservatives and Labour "in every single seat up and down the country" should the "Remain-dominated" parliament not to "listen and deliver the clean-break Brexit" people voted for in the 2016 EU Referendum, party leader Nigel Farage said in late August.
