The United Kingdom’s Parliament is set for a heated showdown with Prime Minister Boris Johnson facing a rebellion by members of his own party as the chance of a snap election to resolve a three-year deadlock over Brexit grows.
As MPs return from summer recess on Tuesday, rebel and opposition legislators aim to seize control of the parliamentary agenda and introduce a bill to prevent the UK from crashing out of the European Union on October 31 without a divorce agreement, or “no-deal” Brexit.
Phillip Hammond, a former finance minister and a member of Johnson’s ruling Conservative Party, said those opposed to a no-deal Brexit had the numbers to force the government’s hand.
About 20 Conservative legislators are preparing to rebel, according to British media, and party whips have told them they could be expelled from the party and banned from standing for the Conservatives at the next election.
Legislators opposed to a no-deal Brexit do not have much time, as Johnson has controversially decided to suspend parliament next week for more than a month, in a move critics say is aimed at blunting opposition to a no-deal departure.