By Greg Heffer, political reporter
Boris Johnson swore in the House of Commons during his first Prime Minister's Questions as he branded Jeremy Corbyn a "chlorinated chicken" for snubbing a general election.
The prime minister told MPs he is ready to push ahead with an election on 15 October if they succeed in legislating against a no-deal Brexit later on Wednesday.
He accused the Labour leader and other opposition parties of supporting a "surrender bill" in their efforts to prevent the UK from leaving the EU without a divorce agreement.
On Tuesday night, Mr Johnson suffered defeat – in the first Commons vote he has faced – when MPs voted to seize control of the Commons timetable from the government.
They will later use this opportunity to introduce a bill, which aims to compel the prime minister to seek a fresh three-month delay to Brexit if he fails to secure a new deal with the EU next month.
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Mr Corbyn accused Mr Johnson of trying to "run down the clock" to the current Brexit deadline of 31 October, as he challenged the PM to provide details of the alternative proposals he is providing to the EU.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN PARLIAMENT TODAY?
- 1pm – Chancellor Sajid Javid sets out new budgets for government departments after spending review
- 3pm – MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit introduce legislation to the Commons, which would force the PM to seek a three-month delay to the UK's departure from the EU if he can't reach a new agreement with Brussels
- 7pm – MPs begin a series of votes on the legislation looking to block no-deal Brexit
- After – If the legislation passes, the government has vowed to push for a vote on a snap general election
Responding to the Labour leader, the prime minister told MPs he wants to secure a Brexit deal by the European Council summit on 17 October and "get Brexit done".
He added: "What his [Mr Corbyn's] surrender bill would do is wreck any chance of the talks and we don't know his strategy at all.
"He's asking for mobs and Momentum activists to paralyse the traffic in his name.
"What are they supposed to chant? What is the slogan? 'What do we want? Dither and delay. When do want it? We don't know.'
"That's his policy. Can he confirm now that he will allow the people of this country to decide on what he is giving up in their name with a general election on October 15 – or is he frit?"
Labour have said they will not vote for an early general election, in the face of Mr Johnson's challenge, until the efforts to legislate against a no-deal Brexit succeed.
Mr Johnson will likely need two thirds of MPs to vote for an early election and he therefore requires Labour's backing.
The prime minister noted how Mr Corbyn has frequently voiced concerns about the impact of a trade deal with America and subsequent alterations to UK food stRead More – Source
