Johnson suspends UK Parliament in Brexit push

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson suspended Parliament for five weeks on Tuesday as he aims to limit its ability to block a no-deal Brexit amid a continued feud with fellow British lawmakers.

In a session that ran past midnight, Johnson, a staunch Brexit supporter, called for a snap election to break the deadlock on leaving the European Union, but Parliament rejected his request, leading to the government’s suspension of the legislative body until Oct. 14, Reuters reports.

The suspension also comes after Parliament ordered the government to release private communications about its Brexit plans and passed a law demanding Johnson delay Britain’s departure from the EU until 2020 unless he can reach a deal, according to the news service.{mosads}

Johnson has continued to see his agenda face major opposition from British lawmakers who worry that a “no deal” Brexit could cause catastrophic consequences for the U.K. economy. Since returning from summer break on Sept. 3, Johnson’s Conservative Party lost its parliamentary majority, and the prime minister has expelled a group of Conservative lawmakers who defied the government and voted in favor of an attempt to thwart a potential no-deal Brexit.

A majority of British voters supported a referendum in 2016 to leave the European Union, but the government has struggled to formulate a transition plan, spurring repeated disputes among lawmakers on the correct course of action for the country.