Mr Johnson was being interviewed for ITV’s Peston. 288 Labour MPs abstained on a vote calling for a general election, with three voting for it and 28 against. Mr Johnson said: “I think that the position of the Labour Party, to be so consumed by cowardice, to resist a general election is not politically sustainable.”
Vauxhall MP Kate Hoey was one of the Labour MPs who voted for a general election.
She re-tweeted financier Ben Goldsmith’s comments on a Telegraph video of Jeremy Corbyn calling for a snap election.
Mr Goldsmith wrote: “Lovely compilation of Jeremy Corbyn calling for a General Election over and over again this year.
“And now the PM has offered him one he’s running scared. Unbelievable.
Boris Johnson has accused Labour of ‘cowardice’ (Image: ITV)
Jeremy Corbyn is Labour leader (Image: GETTY)
“Labour MPs are (rightly) terrified of voters. Total wipeout coming.”
Ms Hoey was one of just two Labour MPs who did not vote against opposition MPs from taking control of the house.
The other, John Mann, did not vote in the motion.
Though the the motion for a general election was won 298-56, under the terms of the Fixed Terms Parliament Act, a two-thirds majority is needed for a snap election.
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Kate Hoey was one of three Labour MPs to vote with the Government (Image: GETTY)
This means 434 votes are required.
Only 354 MPs actually voted with all 35 SNP MPs, all seven Sinn Fein MPs, who do not attend Parliament, 28 Independents, two Tories, the Green Party’s sole MP Caroline Lucas and one Liberal Democrat not voting.
One independent and all 10 DUP MPs joined 284 Tories and the three Labour MPs in voting for a general election.
The votes against included 28 Labour MPs, 13 Liberal Democrats, seven independents, all five The Independent Group for Change MPs and three Plaid Cymru MPs.
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All 10 DUP MPs voted with the Government (Image: GETTY)
Theresa May held a snap election in 2017 but lost the Tory majority (Image: GETTY)
In April 2017, Theresa May was able to win a two-thirds majority for a snap election in June but she lost a majority, forcing the need for a confidence and supply deal with the DUP.
The previous snap election before this was in 1979 after Labour’s James Callaghan led Government lost a no-confidence vote and Margaret Thatcher led the Tories to a majority.
October 1974 was the last time the governing party won a majority at a snap election with Harold Wilson securing a three seat majority to resolve the deadlock faced by the Labour minority Government.
Five key moments that led to Brexit (Image: EXPRESS)
Unless an earlier election is triggered, there will be no general election until May 5, 2022.
An alternative to facing a general election under the act is a vote of no confidence.
If the Government is defeated in such a vote, then there is a 14 day window in which the same or an alternative government can attempt to win a vote of confidence to take power.
Harold Wilson is the last PM to win a majority in a snap election (Image: GETTY)
Should neither the Prime Minister or any other MP be able to form a Government that commands a majority, this will trigger a general election.
The election must take place at least seven weeks after the vote of no confidence passes.
Mr Johnson has been Prime Minister for 44 days, the shortest term of office of a PM is 119 days by George Canning who died in office.
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