director cassandra frederick on the history on the war on drugs. washington journal, live at 7:00 eastern thursday morning. join the discussion. announcer: a look from the bbc this evening, boris johnson's call for a general election impacted by mp's. block avoted 327-299 to no deal brexit and forced the prime minister to seek an extension beyond the deadline of october 31st. the u.k. is currently set to leave -- when the u.k. is currently set to leave the european union. we spoke with a reporter in london. >> jason douglas has been following today's developments and is on the phone from london.

can you explain exactly what unfolded and why today? jason: sure. couple of things happen. to big votes in the house of commons here in london. both work defeats -- were defeats for prime minister boris johnson. the first was a proposal that will effectively expand the brexit deadline once again, if mr. johnson cannot renegotiate terms of the u.k.'s withdrawal and get parliament back on the plan. brexit is certainly to be delayed again beyond october 31. defeatond of feet was -- was on his plan for general election. he wanted to call a quick snap general election on october 15. the parliament voted that down, as well. the u.k. is probably still on

course for an election, but at the time, mr. johnson choosing perhaps in november or after brexit being delayed. >> can you explain that process? i won election as determined in great britain? -- how an election is determined in great britain? to prime the old days, minister could call an election whenever he'd like. in 2011, they changed the rules. a prime minister can call an election a couple of different ways. if easiest if desk is he gets a two thirds majority to back his proposal in the house of commons. most opposition parties are itching for an election times. -- for an election at all times. the second is persuading parliament for a piece of legislation. that is trickier for mr. johnson because things can be amended

and then you can get all sorts of things he doesn't particularly want to see happen. the third way for completion's sake, -- >> it has been deep division among conservatives in great britain. as it reached a boiling point? -- has it reached a boiling point? jason: it is certainly getting there. have been divided for a long time and has reached the point where these divisions are becoming quite an extreme. you have to remember the brexit referendum was called to quell the divisions and get this issue out of the party once and for all. it might have just made it worse. we saw the spectacle this week on tuesday night, where 21 senior conservative lawmakers were ejected from the party for moving against the government, ruling against mr. johnson, including former treasury chiefs

. also, the grandson of which the l chur alleged -- church collect, a big-name and party circles. jason: he has been there for six weeks. -- >> he has been there for six weeks. jason: he is in a bit of a bind. i think what is going to happen is he will try whatever he can to transports transformed the selection. -- transform this election. parliament will go for recess sometime next week. they will perhaps regroup and try to come up with a new plan.

they will come up with a message for parliament versus the people. brexit is what the people voted for in 2016, but he was frustrated by parliament. winning a bigger majority to pass whatever brexit legislation. >> one final point. was saw the election with theresa may and the conservatives lost seats. how big of a gamble is this? jason: that is very true. that is a very big gamble. theresa may is a popular figure in lots of places. good on the stump in the election trail. he has already started to have popular policies around schools and police in hospitals. what he does have big