Oct. 29 (UPI) -- The British Parliament on Tuesday voted to hold Dec. 12 elections in an effort to come to an agreement on a Brexit deal.
The House of Commons voted 438-20 to hold the first December elections since 1923. The upper chamber of Parliament, the House of Lords, was expected to debate the plan Wednesday but is unlikely to disagree.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson proposed the elections for the fourth time Tuesday -- this time with the backing of the opposition Labor Party.
Johnson said he hopes early elections will break the parliamentary deadlock and result in the ratification of his new agreement to leave the European Union well before the new Jan. 31 deadline.
The prime minister said new elections were necessary to replace a "dysfunctional" British Parliament.
"Now that no-deal [exit] is off the table, we have a great new deal," Johnson said. "It's time for the voters to have a chance to pronounce on that deal."
Lawmakers rejected Johnson's call in a 299-70 vote Monday, well below the 434 votes needed to approve the move. Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn called for party members to abstain from the vote to show opposition to Johnson's leadership.
Corbyn said Tuesday he supports an election next month and called on party lawmakers to vote for it. He pledged "the biggest campaign this party has ever mounted."
Liberal Democrats Party leader Jo Swinson said Johnson's call previously failed because he's lost lawmakers' trust. Part of the opposition has to do with the date of the vote.
"Boris Johnson claims he wants a general election, but he also claimed he wouldn't [suspend] Parliament or put a border down the Irish sea," Swinson said. "If Boris Johnson wants a General Election, then he could have supported our bill for a General Election on Dec. 9. Instead, he has chosen to stick to his original plan for Dec. 12, which we have already rejected."
Since taking office in July, Johnson has promised to complete the EU withdrawal one way or another. He was forced by lawmakers last month to seek another extension when his proposed agreement failed to find sufficient support in Parliament.
"I will not allow this paralysis to continue and, one way or another, we must proceed straight to an election," he said Monday. "This House cannot any longer keep this country hostage.
"Millions of families and businesses cannot plan for the future and I don't believe this paralysis and this stagnation should be allowed to continue."