UK PARLIAMENT APPROVES SNAP ELECTIONS ON 12 DECEMBER

The British parliament passed legislation Tuesday calling for a general election on December 12 after Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanded the vote in hopes of pushing along the Brexit deal he hammered out with Brussels. The House of Commons voted 438 to 20 in favour of the election, in which Johnson aims to to secure a majority for his Conservative Party in the lower chamber of parliament.

The legislation must still be passed by the upper house, the House of Lords, though this is seen as more of a formality. “It’ll be a tough election and we are going to do the best we can,” said Johnson after the legislation was passed.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also seemed ready to head to the polls, releasing a campaign video after the vote calling for “real change.”

The ratification of Johnson’s Brexit deal came to a halt last week when British lawmakers indicated their approval but rejected a three-day timetable to scrutinize it and turn it into law. In the meantime, EU member states agreed to grant Britain a three-month flexible delay on its departure from the European Union until January 31, allowing time for Johnson to call for snap elections.

Johnson has said a new parliament is needed to secure a “new mandate to deliver on the will of people and get Brexit done.”

Pollster Yougov said the Conservatives are polling at 36 per cent compared to 23 per cent for the main opposition Labour party./’

-LONDON (DPA),30 OCT 2019