Britain’s parliament approves law seeking to block October no-deal Brexit

The British parliament's upper chamber on Friday approved a bill which aims to block a no-deal Brexit at the end of October by forcing Prime Minister Boris Johnson to seek a delay to Britain's European Union departure.

The legislation, which requires Johnson to ask for a three-monthextension to Britain's EU membership if parliament has not approved either adeal or consented to leaving without agreement by Oct. 19, is expected to besigned into law by Queen Elizabeth on Monday.

The House of Lords approved the bill without a formal vote atits final stage.

Johnson has dubbed it the "surrender bill" and said ithas scuppered his Brexit negotiations with the EU by removing the threat ofleaving without a deal. On Thursday he said he would rather be "dead in aditch" than delay Britain's EU exit.

He kicked 21 lawmakers out of his Conservative Party'sparliamentary group earlier this week for working with opposition parties inthe House of Commons to pass the legislation against the government's wishes.

Johnson says Britain must now hold a national election on Oct.15 to let voters decide who they want to negotiate Britain's EU exit at asummit in Brussels later that week.

Opposition parties have so far rejected his call for anelection, which would require the backing of two-thirds of the lower chamber's650 lawmakers, saying they are not willing to let him dictate the timing ofsuch a vote.

Labour had originally said they would support an election oncethe bill to prevent a no-deal Brexit at the end of October had become law, butnow it says it wants to see the delay to Brexit secured before an election isheld.