Election Bill passes after Corbyn caves
LONDON: Boris Johnson is heading for a preChristmas general election after MPs finally backed his demands to go to the country in an attempt to end the Brexit deadlock.
The House of Commons voted yesterday by 438 to 20 at third reading to approve the onepage Bill enabling the election to be held on December 12.
Earlier, MPs voted by 315 to 295 to reject a Labour amendment for the proposed polling day to be moved to December 9 — to cut off any possibility Johnson could make a fresh attempt to ram through his Brexit deal before Parliament is dissolved.
The vote effectively clears the way for Parliament to be dissolved on November 6, paving the way for an election on December 12.
Addressing Tory MPs afterwards at Westminster, Johnson said he was prepared for a ‘‘tough’’ election fight in the weeks ahead.
‘‘I think it’s time for the country to come together, get Brexit done and go forward,’’ he said.
‘‘It’ll be a tough election and we are going to do the best we can.’’
The Bill will now go to the House of Lords, but after being approved by MPs it is unlikely that it will be held up by the unelected upper chamber.
The onepage Bill sets aside the provisions of the FixedTerm Parliament’s Act, meaning the
Government did not require a twothirds ‘‘super majority’’ to get it through.
The result means Johnson finally has within his grasp the election he has been pushing for since September after three previous attempts — the most recent on Monday — failed.
Following the vote, Jeremy Corbyn said: ‘‘This election is a onceinageneration chance to transform our country and take on the vested interests holding people back.’’
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson confirmed her party would be campaigning on a platform to halt Britain’s withdrawal from the EU.
‘‘It is our best chance to elect a government to stop Brexit,’’ she said.
‘‘The Liberal Democrats are the strongest party of Remain and will be standing on a manifesto to stop Brexit by revoking Article 50.’’
The breakthrough came after Corbyn finally bowed to intense pressure and agreed in principle to support an election.
However, with the party trailing in the polls, many Labour MPs are deeply unhappy at the prospect of an election in the runup to Christmas.
It will be the country’s first December election in almost a century, with the timing generally avoided because of winter weather, early darkness and the community focused on Christmas. — BPA