AGENCIES: Boris Johnson has faced a double defeat in the Commons after MPs turned down his motion for a general election.

Earlier, MPs backed a bill aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit if the PM hadn’t agreed a plan with the EU ahead of the 31 October deadline.

Mr Johnson said the bill “scuppered” negotiations and the only way forward now was an election.

But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the PM of “playing a disingenuous game” to force a no-deal Brexit.

He said his party would back an election after the bill had been passed, but not before.

Both the SNP and the Liberal Democrats also criticised the prime minister’s motion as a plot to make sure the UK left the EU without a deal.

But supporters of Mr Johnson hit back at opposition members who had been calling for a general election for two years.