The British House of Commons has again rejected Boris Johnson's motion to hold an early general election.
After his motion to hold an election on October 15 was struck down last week, Johnson again tried to rally his colleagues on Tuesday - to no success.
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To secure a snap election, Johnson needed the support of two-thirds (434 votes) of the voting House of Commons - which seats 650 members.
However, he only managed to get 293 in support, with 46 opposed. The vote took place early in the morning (local time) after a long debate on the issue.
Last week's vote was 298 votes in support to 56 opposed. The bulk of the Labour Party abstained from voting in that round as it appears they have again on Tuesday.
Johnson immediately responded to the vote by saying the Opposition believes it knows better than the British people and are scared what the election result will be.
"I earlier urged the House to trust the people, but once again the Opposition think they know better," he said.
"They want to delay Brexit yet again."
Johnson says constant delays to Britain's departure from the European Union was costing the country staggering amounts of money that could instead go towards upgrading hospitals.
Tuesday was Johnson's last day to secure an election before October 15, as Parliament has now been suspended until mid-October - something Johnson called for.
Why an election?
Having an election would have allowed Johnson to purge Conservative Party-leaning seats of former Conservative Party members - now independents - who have left the party in disagreement over the Government's Brexit agenda.
That includes the 21 MPs expelled from the party last week after they voted to block a no-deal Brexit. They've been told they won't be reselected to campaign for the seats.
He could then install loyalists who support him and would give him a majority in Parliament to push through a no-deal Brexit or any renegotiated deal.
Recent polls shows the Conservative Party have more public support than any other party.
An election would also essentially become a second referendum on Brexit. If the Conservative Party won, they could argue the election gave them a mandate to push through a no-deal brexit.
What's the Labour Party waiting for?
While the Labour Party supports having a general election, it opposed Johnson's motion last week as it wanted to ensure legislation blocking a no-deal Brexit was given the Royal Assent before an election.
The legislation demands Johnson ask the European Union for an extension to Brexit if he cannot renegotiate a deal.
It has now become law, but Johnson continues to say he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than ask for an extension to the October 31 deadline.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is now saying he won't support an election until an extension to Brexit is secured and no-deal Brexit is truly off the table.
Johnson will go to Brussels over the next few weeks to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement, but the European Union has so far refused to budge.
Last week, high-profile Cabinet secretary Amber Rudd resigned, alleging the Government wasn't doing enough to find a path forward with the EU. She said a no-deal Brexit was becoming the Government's top priority.
But in his speech in the House on Tuesday, Johnson said he wanted a new deal.
"I will go to that crucial summit in Brussels on October 17, and no matter how many devices this Parliament invents to tie my hands I will strive to get an agreement in the national interest.
"This Government will not delay Brexit any further."
The Labour Party says if he can't negotiate a new deal and ignores the requirement to ask for an extension, he would be breaking the law.
After Johnson spoke on Tuesday, Corbyn said: "I think we have had quite enough of the playground politics of the Conservative Party this evening.
"The one thing the Prime Minister didn't say was that we was going to obey the law of this country.
"This Government is a disgrace, and the way the Prime Minister operates is a disgrace."
Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan-Smith last week said Johnson should break the law as he would become a Brexit martyr if judges decided he should be imprisoned for not complying with the new law.
It has been speculated that Johnson may call for a no-confidence vote in his own Government. If that passed, a general election would essentially be forced unless the Labour Party was able to form a Government, which is unlikely.
However, asking his own MPs to vote no-confidence in their Government would be an unprecedented move.
No-deal Brexit effect on New Zealand
Critics of a no-deal Brexit say it would leave Britain in economic disarray. It would also cause significant uncertainty for Kiwi exporters.
The UK is one of New Zealand's largest export markets, meaning Brexit will have massive implications for Aotearoa.
While a transition period would be enacted if the UK left the EU with a deal, allowing countries to establish new agreements with the UK and EU, a no-deal situation would have sudden effect.
"A no-deal Brexit would likely increase the costs and procurement times of New Zealand exports, reducing demand for these products," said IBISWorld senior industry analyst Liam Harrison in April.
"In event of a no-deal Brexit, the UK reverts to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules regarding trade, which would force the UK to place tariffs and quotas on certain products."
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand does have several agreements and continuity arrangements in place to ensure continuity in some trading conditions between New Zealand and the UK, especially in the case of a no-deal exit.
But New Zealand Trade Enterprise has also released information on how businesses can prepare themselves for when Brexit arrives.
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