BORIS Johnson suffered a double defeat in the House of Commons last night.
MPs passed a bill aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit on October 31, with opposition MPs and Tory rebels uniting to help it reach 327 votes to 299.
Later on, the Commons rejected the Prime Minister's call for an early General Election, with only 298 MPs voting in favour and hundreds abstaining.
Among those who did not vote on the latter motion were Labour MP for Oxford East, Anneliese Dodds, and Wantage's Ed Vaizey, who was kicked out of the Conservative Party on Tuesday after voting in favour of the debate to block no-deal.
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But the county's three remaining Tory MPs all voted with the party.
Witney's Robert Courts, Banbury MP Victoria Prentis and John Howell, of Henley, were among 284 Conservatives to vote for an early General Election.
Despite this backing, the Prime Minister fell 136 votes short of the required two thirds of MPs needed under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act.
Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, voted against and later tweeted: "Boris Johnson laid a trap. Parliament saw through it. No General Election until no deal off the table. End of. Over to you melords."
Boris Johnson laid a trap. Parliament saw through it. No General Election until no deal off the table. End of. Over to you melords.
— Layla Moran 🔶 (@LaylaMoran) September 4, 2019
Oxfordshire's three Conservatives also voted against blocking a no-deal Brexit, but Mr Vaizey supported the bill, along with Ms Moran and Ms Dodds.
This forces the Prime Minister to ask the European Union for a Brexit extension beyond October 31 to prevent the UK leaving without a deal.
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