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BritainHeads Into Mother of All Battles inParliament

Jamie Dettmer

   Britain's politicians are gearing up for what is being dubbed the
   mother of all battles in the mother ofparliaments -- a clash that could
   reshape Britain's democracy for decades to come by deciding whether the
   House of Commons or the government has the upper political hand.
   The outcome of the high-stakesparliamentary tussle next week over how,
   when and evenwhetherBritain leaves the European Union is redefining the
   relationship among the country's main governing bodies, the House of
   Commons, Downing Street and the monarchy, constitutional expertssay.
   The country's traditional constitutional practices are already fraying,
   they warn.
   Opposition party leaders and pro-EU Conservative rebels, who have been
   at loggerheads for weeks on what strategy to pursue to stop Prime
   Minister Boris Johnson from leading Britain out of the EU, are planning
   to try to seize controlofparliamentary businessfrom the government in
   order to draft legislation forbidding him from leaving the bloc.

   Johnson's opponents hope to pass legislation binding the Conservative
   government from departing the EU without a deal on Oct.31, something
   the prime minister has pledged to do, if he is unable to secure a new
   exit agreement replacing one his predecessor, Theresa May, negotiated
   with Brussels. Her deal incurred the wrath of both pro-EU lawmakers and
   Brexiters and was rejected three times byParliament.

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