British PM Boris Johnson, in a defiant move, challenged opposition MPs to call a confidence vote in his government, after the Supreme Court struck down his decision to suspend parliament in the run-up to Brexit.
The allegation against Johnson was that he miscommunicated with the Queen to get her approval for the prorogation. Britain's Supreme Court on Tuesday declared the suspension of the parliament just weeks before the country is due to leave EU on October 31, to be unlawful.
But the Conservative leader showed no contrition as he faced MPs in the House of Commons, which had hastily reconvened on Wednesday. He condemned the verdict as "wrong" and, faced with calls to resign, challenged the main opposition Labour Party and others to call an immediate confidence vote.
"They have until the house rises today to table a motion of no confidence in the government, and we can have that vote tomorrow," he said.
"Will they have the courage to act or will they refuse to take responsibility and do nothing but dither and delay... what are they scared of? "Come on, then."
Johnson also accused the MPs of sabotaging Brexit. He insisted that the court had been "wrong to pronounce on a political question at a time of great national controversy". "We decided to call that referendum, we promised time and again to respect it. I think the people of this country have had enough of it," he said. "This parliament must either stand aside and let this government get Brexit done or bring a vote of confidence and finally face the day of reckoning with the voters."
The MPs, in turn, accused the Prime Minister of using dangerous language over Brexit.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said though he wanted Johnson to resign, he would not back an election until the PM's threat of leaving the EU without a divorce deal was removed.
The MPs, earlier this month had pushed through a law that required Johnson to delay Brexit by three months if he cannot strike exit terms with Brussels in time.
Addressing a packed Commons chamber, Corbyn said: "If he wants an election, get an extension and let's have an election.
Johnson, who only took office in July, defending his decision to suspend the parliament by saying he only did it to allow his new government to launch a fresh legislative programme.
But critics accused him of trying to silence MPs, the majority of whom object to his threat to leave the EU without a deal if one cannot be struck with Brussels.
Johnson has already tried twice to call an early election hoping to take advantage of opinion polls showing voters like his tough Brexit stance. However, a snap election requires the support of two-thirds of MPs, and Johnson does not have even a simple majority in the 650-seat House of Commons. Johnson said parliament was "gridlocked, paralysed and refusing to deliver on the priorities of the people".
Boris Johnson's Attorney General Geoffery Cox, in the meantime, said that the parliament was dead. He added that Johnson's opponents were cowards for avoiding an election and trying to block Brexit.