Johnson offers to allow no-confidence vote

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, facing the biggest political crisis of his career, is addressing Parliament for the first time since Britain’s Supreme Court ruled his decision to suspend the legislature was illegal.

He has offered all opposition political parties the chance to trigger a formal vote of no-confidence in his government, a move that would put Britain on course for a potential general election. Speaking to the Commons, Johnson criticised the Supreme Court judgment, and said voters wanted politicians to deliver Brexit by the end of October, with no deal if necessary. He challenged the opposition parties to call a vote of confidence in his government as he sought again to force a general election.

Johnson threw down the gauntlet to opposition Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn, telling him he has until the Commons closes for business on Wednesday to propose a motion of no confidence in the government. He also told minor opposition parties that they too could do so, and the government would ensure there was time to debate it. After opposition parties twice rejected an attempt by Johnson to force an early general election, a confidence vote would offer Johnson another path to national poll. If he loses such a vote, the House of Commons will have 14 days in which to form an alternative government an election will follow. “This parliament must either stand aside and let this government get Brexit done or bring a vote of confidence and finally face a day of reckoning with the voters,” Johnson said.

Boris Johnson challenged the opposition parties to call a vote of confidence in his government as he sought again to force a general election