British PM Johnson loses working majority as MP defects to Liberal Democrats

PRU/AFP | A video grab from footage broadcast by the UK Parliament's Parliamentary Recording Unit (PRU) shows British PM Boris Johnson reacting as Labour's Jeremy Corbyn speaks in reponse to his G7 statement in the House of Commons on September 3, 2019.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson lost his working majority in parliament on Tuesday when one of his Conservative lawmakers defected to the pro-European Union Liberal Democrats.

Phillip Lee crossed the floor of the House of Commons just as Johnson began giving a statement on last month’s G7 summit.

“I have reached the conclusion that it is not possible to serve my constituents’ and country’s best interests as a Conservative Member of Parliament,” he said in a statement.

After a great deal of thought, I have reached the conclusion that it is no longer possible to serve my constituents’ and country’s best interests as a Conservative Member of Parliament. My letter to the Prime Minister: pic.twitter.com/0QreSbSdwR

  Dr Phillip Lee MP (@DrPhillipLeeMP) September 3, 2019

“This Conservative government is aggressively pursuing a damaging Brexit in unprincipled ways. It is putting lives and livelihoods at risk unnecessarily and it is wantonly endangering the integrity of the United Kingdom.”

“The Liberal Democrats are delighted to announce that Bracknell MP Phillip Lee has joined the party,” the Lib Dems said in a statement.

(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS and AFP)