Recap: If Mr. Johnson thought he was on the verge of a breakthrough, his dreams were thoroughly crushed over the weekend when lawmakers voted to delay final approval of the agreement until after Parliament passes the detailed legislation to enact it — so that there is no chance of a no-deal Brexit.

By law, Mr. Johnson had to request a delay in a letter, which the E.U. has not responded to yet, but he also sent a separate letter to the European Council president saying the approval of a delay would damage the relationship between Britain and the bloc.

Reservations: Opponents accused Mr. Johnson of negotiating a shoddy deal that would leave a post-Brexit Britain vulnerable to predatory trade deals with other countries, including the U.S.

Mistrust in Parliament: Many lawmakers feel they have good reason not to trust Mr. Johnson, hence their decision to tie his hands over the weekend. One Labour lawmaker even delayed giving birth to appear in a wheelchair for a pivotal vote. She did not trust her pro-Brexit colleagues to handle the process for medical absences correctly.

Quotable: “Before I decide whether to jump on the prime minister’s bus,” Philip Hammond, a Conservative ex-chancellor, said, “I’d like to be just a little clearer about the destination.”