UK PM challenges opposition to call confidence vote

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday challenged opposition parties to call a vote of no confidence in his government, telling them in parliament, "what are they scared of?"

As he faced MPs for the first time since the Supreme Court quashed his suspension of parliament, Johnson asked, "Will they have the courage to act?... Come on, then."

In an extremely unusual move, Johnson said the government would welcome a no-confidence motion from any of the opposition parties. He said he would make time for such a vote on Thursday.

TRT World's Simon McGregor-Wood reports.

If the government lost, a two-week period would be triggered in which Johnson or another lawmaker could try to form a new government and win a subsequent confidence vote.

If that failed, there would be an election.

Johnson wants to hold an election in hope of breaking the stalemate over Brexit that has left Britain's departure, scheduled for October 31, in limbo.

Earlier this month lawmakers twice rejected a call for a snap poll.

Opposition lawmakers say they won't trigger an election until the risk of crashing out of the EU next month without a divorce deal has been eliminated.

Johnson accuses his opponents of being scared of the public.

Corbyn rejects PM's election call

Britain's main opposition leader rejected Johnson's taunting demand for a no-confidence vote in the government, saying he won't support a new election unless a no-deal Brexit is ruled out.

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said Johnson should secure a delay to Britain's EU exit and "then let's have an election."

And he called for Johnson to resign over his illegal suspension of parliament.

He said Johnson "should have done the honorable thing and resigned" after the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that the prime minister's attempt to shut down parliament for five weeks was unlawful.

Johnson says he won't quit.