Johnson heads to Parliament. Photo: Getty
After approving Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit deal in principle, Parliament rejected the expedited timeline on which Johnson aimed to finalize it — making his pledge to take the U.K. out of the EU by Oct. 31 all but impossible.
Why it matters: This was nearly a massive victory for Johnson, as it's the first time Parliament — which rejected Theresa May's deal three times — expressed approval for any Brexit plan. Now it's over to the EU to determine whether to grant an extension, though the bloc is widely expected to do so.
- Johnson had threatened to pull his bill and demand a general election if he lost today's vote on the timeline.
- But he was more measured after the vote, insisting that the U.K. would be leaving the EU with his deal.
- He did say the U.K. would step up preparations for a "no deal" exit, on the grounds that there is no guarantee that an extension will be ironed out by Halloween.
Go deeper: Everything you need to know about Brexit