Johnson defiant after lawmakers vote to force Brexit delay

For the first time in decades the UK parliament was sitting on a Saturday

And it was supposed to be high noon for Boris Johnson's last minute Brexit divorce deal.

But lawmakers voted in favour of an amendment put forward by Conservative Oliver Letwin that withheld support for the deal Johnson clinched with the EU on Thursday.

According to legislation passed earlier, the vote means Johnson must ask the EU for a further delay.

He told lawmakers he won't be doing that.

(SOUNDBITE) BORIS JOHNSON, UK PRIME MINISTER, SAYING:

"I will not negotiate a delay with the EU and neither does the law compel me to do so. I will tell our friends and colleagues in the EU exactly what I have told everyone else in the last 88 days that I have served as prime minister: that further delay would be bad for this country, bad for the European Union and bad for democracy."

On the streets outside parliament tens of thousands of Britons marched to demand a new Brexit referendum.

Some cheered as lawmakers voted in favour of Letwin's delaying amendment.

The European Commission said Britain must now inform the EU executive of its next steps as soon as possible.