UK Opposition: We Won’t Back Fresh Elections Unless Brexit is Blocked

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s opposition parties say they won’t support Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s call for an election when it comes to a vote next week.

The parties have been mulling whether to agree to a mid-October poll, which can only be triggered if two-thirds of lawmakers agree.

Johnson says an election is the only way to break the Brexit impasse.

But opponents don’t want to agree unless they can ensure that Johnson can’t take Britain out of the European Union on Oct. 31 without a divorce agreement, as he has threatened to do.

After discussions Friday, opposition lawmakers said they would not back an election until the government had asked the EU to delay Brexit.

A bill compelling the government to do that is set to become law, but opposition lawmakers say Parliament needs to be sitting next month to make sure it happens.