Labour threat to block PM’s election plan
PM in desperate plea for snap poll on December 12 Corbyn threat to block as we wait on EU extension
JEREMY Corbyn is poised to thwart Boris Johnson’s bid for a Christmas general election.
The Labour leader is set to allow his MPs to abstain or vote against the Prime Minister’s plan for an election on December 12, meaning it would almost certainly fail.
Mr Corbyn says he will back the holding of a poll when there is no chance of a no-deal Brexit.
It comes as a top Tory admitted staging an election just before Christmas would mean his party would be accused of ruining children’s festive fun. Officials have warned nativity plays, parties and carol concerts may be cancelled to allow schools, church halls and village halls to be polling stations.
Tory Party chairman James Cleverly said: “I don’t want to be the Grinch but democracy is incredibly important.”
The PM yesterday launched another bid for a snap election after breaking his “die in a ditch” vow to wrap up Brexit by Halloween. Brussels is likely to issue a fresh withdrawal delay today.
Mr Johnson claimed he would give Parliament more time to debate his
EU withdrawal pact – currently paused – if the Commons grants him the poll.
MPs will vote on the PM’s plan on Monday – the third time he has tried to trigger a snap election. Labour MPs have been emailed by party whips telling them the plan for Monday is to abstain – but they could also vote against Mr Johnson’s early poll plea. Sources said it is a “holding position” which may change depending on the extension offered by EU chiefs such as
European Council President Donald Tusk. Mr Corbyn has denied claims his position on a snap election is confused.
He said last night: “There’s no confusion at all. We are not resisting the chance to have an election.
“We want an election because we want to take our case to the people of this country but we do not want this country to be in any danger of crashing out of the EU without a deal because of all the damage that will do to jobs, services and trade all over this country.”
Labour fears that if a Withdrawal
Agreement passes and negotiations with the EU move to the future relationship, the UK could still quit without a deal via a “trapdoor” at the end of a Brexit transition period in December 2020.
A No10 source has signalled that the Government would effectively go on strike if its snap ballot plan is derailed.
The insider added that if the election bid fails the Tories would also pull the Withdrawal Agreement Bill and would “campaign at every stage and at every opportunity for a general election”. On another dramatic day yesterday, the Government scrapped the Budget planned for November 6.
Mr Johnson last night finally admitted his vow to have Brexit done by October 31 was another promise broken.
He said: “I’m afraid it looks as though our EU friends are going to respond to Parliament’s request by having an extension, which I really don’t want at all.
“So the way to get... Brexit done, is to be reasonable with Parliament and say if they genuinely want more time to study this excellent deal they can
have it – but they have to agree to a general election on December 12.”
Triggering a poll under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act requires a majority of two-thirds in the Commons. Labour MPs are divided over a snap ballot, with some fearing losing their seats.
The PM has written to Mr Corbyn pledging to “make available all possible time between now and November 6” – the date when Parliament would be dissolved ahead of a December 12 election – “for the [Withdrawal Agreement Bill] to be discussed and voted through”.
Top Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg said: “We are willing to work 24 hours a day.”
We do not want this country to be in danger of crashing out of the EU
JEREMY CORBYN LEADER OF THE LABOUR PARTY
THE promises made by Boris Johnson were emphatic.
We would leave the EU by October 31 “no ifs, no buts”, he said.
We were told he would rather “die in a ditch” than not complete Brexit by this deadline. Now we know this is not going to happen. Having failed to deliver, the PM has tried to hide his embarrassment by threatening not to allow MPs to scrutinise his Brexit deal if they won’t agree to a Christmas general election.
Labour will be tempted to take the chance to boot out this Tory administration but they should think carefully before deciding their next move, especially when the EU has yet to confirm the terms of any extension.
Johnson’s offer is shallow game playing aimed at covering his own blushes.
There is no guarantee that, once an election has been granted, he won’t change the proposed date to allow for a no-deal Brexit should his deal fail to get through Parliament.
The bottom line is we cannot trust this PM. Why should we when he so frequently breaks his word and makes promises he cannot keep?