ALERT: UK PM loses majority

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is gearing to take on rebels in his Conservative Party over Brexit, has lost his parliamentary majority with a party MP defecting on Tuesday, reports said.

Conservative MP Philip Lee shifted to the Liberal Democrats and took his seat on the opposition benches as Johnson addressed the House of Commons, the BBC reported.

Explaining his decision, he charged the government with "pursuing a damaging Brexit in unprincipled ways", putting lives and livelihoods at risk.