Contributed by Joe Montero

There is a sequel to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s attempt the scrap parliament. Last week he was on a roll. It backfired. This week, he has been forced into a humiliating defeat.

His move to scrap parliament for a month, did not only incite a public backlash. Twenty-one of the conservative Party members of parliament rebelled and crossed the floor on Wednesday. His Brother Jo, who is also a member of parliament, announced his resignation.

Everyone knew that this was an attempt to stop debate on Brexit, around which a no deal departure that most of the population have never given a sign of supporting. But this transparently dictatorial act angered many more than those holding a potion against Brexit.

They saw it as a major attack on what they understood to be democracy, setting a very clear precedent, which would make it easier for subsequent heads of state to do away with parliament, whenever it doesn’t fit in with their ambitions.

The result was a humiliating defeat for Boris Johnson, which might even prove to have crippled his capacity as prime minister. He may now be forced to renegoiate the Brexit conditions with the European Union. It might even create a greater possibility for a new Brexit referendum.

A chastised Boris Johnson, who had failed in a series of prior meetings to stop the rebels, had threatened to go to an early election if he was not supported. He may now have to do so, in conditions that are not favourable to the governments and his survival.

There is now a decisive mood to extend the Brexit 31 October deadline. The prime minister has earlier said he would “rather be dead in a ditch” than do this. The only way to honour this problem is to call for an election to be held before the date, and under British law he has little time to do this.

He made his rather dead comment at a press conference, where he talked about his preference for an election on 15 October.

Boris Johnson drew further criticism for holding press conference in front a line of police, which critics have said, sends a very authoritarian message and leaves more doubt as to his future intentions.   

“I’d rather be dead”

Video by The Guardian

An early election had been voted against by members of the parliament. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn stated the case, when he accused the prime minister of “playing a disingenuous game” to force a no-deal Brexit.” The Scottish Nationalist Party, Liberal Democrats and some of the Conservatives

A bill to block the no deal was passed, which will force Boris Johnson to ask Europe for an extension of time for further negotiation.

This is not over yet by a long shot.