A GENERAL election is now on the cards after the new Boris Johnson-led government lost a crucial vote on Brexit meaning a bill can be introduced to delay Britain's exit from the EU.
MPs trying to block a no deal Brexit, won the right to seize control of the agenda by 328 to 301 meaning they can introduce a bill to put off Britain's exit from the EU beyond October 31.
And the Prime Minister confirmed he was seeking a general election.
He said: "The leader of the opposition has been begging for an election for two years, he has crowds of supporters outside.
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"I don't want an election but if MPs vote tomorrow to stop negotiations and to compel another pointless delay to Brexit, potentially for years then that would be the only way to resolve this.
"And I can confirm that we are tonight tabling a motion under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act."
Under UK electoral law, the next election is not due until 2022 and a two-thirds parliamentary majority is required to hold the vote ahead of time.
The prime minister also said the move would "hand control" of Brexit negotiations to the EU and bring "more dither, more delay, more confusion".
In total 21 Tory MPs, including a number of ex-cabinet ministers, joined opposition parties to defeat the government. None of the Conservatives' 13 Scottish MPs were among the rebels.
The government warned in advance that it would remove the whip - effectively expel - any MPs who chose to vote against it.
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Tory rebels and opposition MPs had earlier cleared the first hurdle in their attempt to pass the law when Commons Speaker John Bercow granted a debate and a vote on taking control of the Parliamentary agenda.
The main opposition Labour Party has said in the past that it would welcome a general election.
But some in the party are concerned about holding one before legislation is passed that would force whoever is the next prime minister to postpone Brexit if there is no agreement with Brussels before October 31.
And the party leader Jeremy Corbyn did not embrace Mr Johnson's election call.
In dramatic scenes in the House, he said: "And so he wants to table a motion for a general election. Fine. Get the bill through first, in order to take no deal off the table."
SNP's Westminster's leader Ian Blackford called on Mr Johnson to show some humility in defeat.
"This prime minister has a 100% record in losing votes in the House of Commons, and you would have thought he would have some humility tonight. But that is sadly lacking.
"Prime Minister, perhaps you might consider acting like a prime minister should do. Respect the vote that has taken place in the House tonight.
"Yes, let us have an election, but let us have an election that respects the democracy of this house, and the desire that parliamentarians have to make sure we don't crash out on a no deal basis."
Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem leader added: "It is vital, much as I relish the opportunity to take on the Prime Minister in a general election, that this House acts with responsibility and does not tip our country into an election at a point where there is any risk that we will crash out of the European Union during that election campaign, or immediately after. We must act responsibly. "
Sir Oliver Letwin's motion stated that "the House has considered the matter of the need to take all necessary steps to ensure that the United Kingdom does not leave the European Union on 31 October 2019 without a withdrawal agreement".
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The motion also enables MPs to take control of the order paper in order to bring forward Hilary Benn's bill.
The bill would make it unlawful for the UK to leave the EU on October 31 without a deal - unless MPs have agreed to a no-deal exit.
One study has revealed taht a snap election would produce another hung parliament – with both Labour and the Tories losing seats.
The survey of 10,000 by Focal Data, commissioned by Conservative Group for Europe, forecast that the Tories would win 311 seats – a net loss of six on 2017 – and Labour 242 (down 20).
According to the poll, the SNP could take ten of the Tories’ 13 constituencies in Scotland and win 52 of the 59 available seats north of the border.
The Lib Dems would also return with nine more MPs.
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