Parliament must be given "a straight up-and-down vote" on the PM's Brexit deal, No 10 says, after MPs delivered a major blow to his strategy on Saturday.

Boris Johnson was forced by law to send a letter asking the EU for a new delay on Brexit, but did not sign it.

The PM now wants MPs to say a clear "yes" or "no" to the deal on Monday, adding: "We cannot allow Parliament's letter to lead to Parliament's delay."

It will be up to Speaker John Bercow to decide whether to allow the vote.

Mr Johnson reached a new deal with the EU last week, but it needs to be approved by the UK Parliament.

The deal ditches the backstop clause - the "insurance policy" designed to prevent a return to physical checks on the Irish border.

Instead it will, in effect, draw a new customs border in the Irish Sea.

The EU is now considering how to respond to the UK's request for a delay, but has said Saturday's developments did not mean that the deal had been rejected.

Source: bbc.com

BDST: 1155 HRS, OCT 21, 2019
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