Brexit bill passes UK upper house in blow for Johnson

Britain’s upper house has given final approval to a law that would force Boris Johnson to delay Brexit, in a fresh setback for the British Prime Minister who is struggling in his bid to call an early election.

The draft, which now requires formal assent by Queen Elizabeth II to become law, would seek to postpone Brexit beyond the current deadline of October 31 if Johnson does not manage to strike a divorce agreement with the EU next month.

Johnson, who has said he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than ask for a delay, wants an early general election that could give him a mandate to take Britain out of the European Union with or without a divorce deal.

Johnson received a boost when the High Court in London rejected a legal challenge against his decision to suspend parliament from next week.

But it granted permission for the case to go to the Supreme Court for an appeal scheduled for September 17.

Johnson has branded the bill a “surrender” that would allow the other 27 EU leaders to dictate the terms on which Britain leaves its closest neighbours after 46 years.

He sacked 21 Conservative rebels who voted for the legislation in the House of Commons on Tuesday.

The decision left him without a working majority in parliament.

Johnson’s opponents are now widely expected to block for the second time tomorrow his attempt to schedule snap polls for October 15.

The main opposition Labour Party is planning a strategy with smaller groups that could leave Johnson with no other alternative but to resign. They are reportedly trying to make sure that an election is held only after Johnson is forced to go back on his word and seek a divorce delay.

This would happen if no new agreement is reached when Johnson attends an October 17-18 EU leaders’ summit in Brussels. None is expected and EU officials say they have heard no new proposals from Johnson’s team.