GENERAL ELECTION IS ON
UK set for second vote in two years after MPs finally agree on something
Poll date is finally set as MPs plump for vote in December
BRITAIN is set for its second Brexit election in two years after MPs last night finally voted to dissolve Parliament and throw the fate of the country to a Christmas vote.
A general election passed its final Commons hurdle last night after MPs voted for the UK to go to the polls on Thursday, December 12.
Boris Johnson avoided a final humiliation from the Parliament that had defeated him so often when MPs backed his preferred date over December 9 offered by the opposition.
MPs voted against the Monday amendment by 315 votes to 295 – a majority of 20 votes.
The motion for the Thursday was then carried by 438 to 20 with opposition MPs on the SNP and Labour benches abstaining to show their objections.
Johnson’s fourth attempt for a cut-and-run election only succeeded after Labour dropped its objection that the PM could sneak in a no-deal Brexit during the campaign.
After a second shadow cabinet meeting in two days, Jeremy Corbyn announced Labour was ready to go as the EU had granted a three-month Brexit delay.
Corbyn said the election is “going to be fun” and promised “the biggest campaign this party has ever mounted”.
But many of his backbench MPs are wary of an election with the party so far behind in the polls.
However, with the Lib Dems and the SNP already signalling they were preparing to support the oneline Bill for a December 9 election, Labour was boxed in.
The Commons had voted down Johnson’s third plea for an election, which required the approval of twothirds of MPs under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, on Monday night.
Last night’s vote only needed a
simple majority of MPs in a bid by the PM to make it easier to pass.
Other obstacles put in the way of the December election – to lower the voting age to 16 and allow EU nationals to take part – fell by the wayside during a day of debate.
The amendments were not selected by deputy speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and No10 had warned the Government would pull the Bill if the amendments succeeded.
There was no formal vote at
second reading, when MPs approve the principle of legislation, after Commons Speaker John Bercow decided those shouting “aye” were in the majority.
When it came to a vote on the Bill, Johnson restored the Tory whip to 10 of the 21 MPs who had been thrown out last month for rebelling against a no-deal Brexit.
But their number did not include former chancellor Philip Hammond and Father of the House Ken Clarke,
The Bill will move to the House of Lords where it is not expected to encounter significant opposition.
It could then receive royal assent by the end of the week, meaning it has passed into law.
If so, Parliament will be dissolved on November 6 for a five-week campaign.
The Government objected to a December 9 election as this would make it “very difficult” for both the election Bill and a separate Bill on budgets for the suspended Northern Ireland assembly to pass through the Commons and Lords and receive royal assent in time.
In the Commons, Johnson said obstructing Brexit was damaging the economy by preventing investment decisions and corroding faith in democracy. He added: “There is only one way to get Brexit done in the face of this unrelenting parliamentary obstructionism and that is to give the people a choice.”
Corbyn said: “Whatever date the House decides the election will be, I’m ready for it, we’re ready for it.”
Last night Nicola Sturgeon claimed a Scottish majority for the SNP after the general election will show an “unequivocal and irresistible demand” for IndyRef2.
She said: “We stand ready to bring down this undemocratic Government and give Scotland the chance to escape from Brexit and decide our own future.
“A win for the SNP will be an unequivocal and irresistible demand for Scotland’s right to choose our own future.”
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said her choice would have been for a second Brexit referendum, adding: “We have not been able to secure that. We do not have the luxury of time as the EU have given us an extension to January 31.”