MPs back election on December 12

BORIS JOHNSON is on course 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 Commons voted by 438 to 20 at third reading last night to approve the one-page 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 – three days earlier than ministers wanted.

The vote effectively clears the way for Parliament to be dissolved on November 6, paving the way for a December 12 election.

The opposition parties had wanted to bring forward polling day to cut off any possibility Mr Johnson could make a fresh attempt to ram through his Brexit deal before Parliament is dissolved. However, Downing Street warned that it was not “logistically possible”.

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 upper chamber. The Bill sets aside the provisions of the FixedTerm Parliaments Act, meaning the Government did not require a two-thirds “supermajority” to get it through.

It means Mr Johnson finally has within his grasp the election he has been pushing for since September after three previous attempts failed.

Mr Johnson received a rapturous reception as he arrived at a meeting of the 1922 Committee after his bid for an early general election cleared the Commons.

Tory MPs cheered and banged the table as he arrived for the meeting in Parliament.

After addressing the Tory backbenchers, Mr Johnson told reporters: “I think it’s time for the country to come together, get Brexit done and go forward.”

But asked if he believes he can secure a majority, he said: “It’ll be a tough election and we are going to do the best we can.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “This election is a once-in-a-generation chance to transform our country and take on the vested interests holding people back.

“The choice at this election could not be clearer. A Labour government will be on your side, while Boris Johnson’s Conservatives – who think they’re born to rule – will only look after the privileged few.

“We will now launch the most ambitious and radical campaign for real change that our country has ever seen.”