Opposition parties to refuse election move
BORIS Johnson’s demand for a general election on his own terms became increasingly farfetched yesterday when opposition leaders agreed to not vote with the Prime Minister during his fresh bid.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn spoke with the leaders of the main opposition parties to discuss their resistance to holding a vote before the prospect of a
no-deal Brexit on October 31 is eliminated.
Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP and Plaid Cymru are all understood to be planning on voting against or abstaining from the Fixed-Term Parliament Act when it returns to the Commons on Monday.
An earlier bid – on Wednesday – for an early general election failed when the Prime Minister fell short of the twothirds majority he needed.
Mr Corbyn and senior Labour Party figures held a telephone conference with opposition leaders including the Lib Dems’ Jo Swinson, the SNP’s Ian Blackford and Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts to discuss tactics as Mr Johnson returned to the campaign trail of the election he is yet to successfully trigger.
Plaid Cymru has said its four MPs will vote against Monday’s motion.
All parties also agreed not to call a
vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister – another possible route to an election.
A source explained that if a noconfidence motion was put forward, there would be no way to guarantee MPs would be sitting while an extension is being confirmed.
The groups cannot ensure the Prime Minister will not ignore legislation forced through the Commons last week by those opposing a no deal.
Yesterday, in a further blow to the PM, the Lords approved the legislation aiming to prevent a no deal on the Hallowe’en deadline, paving the way for it to become law.
It will mean the government must ask the EU for an extension to the UK’s departure – a move Mr Johnson has said would be worse than him being “dead in a ditch”.
SNP Westminster leader Mr Blackford said he was “desperate for an election”, but it could not be until an extension to Article 50 was secured.
He said: “It’s not just about our own party interests, it’s about our collective national interests.
“So we are prepared to work with others to make sure we get the timing right, but the timing right on the basis of securing that extension to Article 50.”
But he did anticipate that an election would be successfully called “over the course of these weeks”.
A Lib Dem spokeswoman said: “As a group we will all vote against or abstain on Monday.”
Ms Saville Roberts said voting for a general election next week would “play into Boris Johnson’s hands”, giving the PM the opportunity to ignore Parliament and force through a no deal.
“We were in unity in our opinion, our priority is of course to stop a nodeal Brexit,” she told the BBC.
“In the short time we need to make sure that we get past the October 31 and an extension to Article 50.”
Labour said the leaders discussed efforts to prevent a “damaging” nodeal Brexit and to hold an election “once that is secured”.
Peers approved the no-deal blocking legislation yesterday, after MPs including Tory rebels dealt Mr Johnson a major blow in the Commons by backing the bill earlier in the week.
It is likely to become law on Monday after receiving the formal Royal Assent from the Queen.
The legislation orders the government to ask for a Brexit delay until January 31 next year if no agreement has been reached by October 19 and MPs do not back a no deal.
An alternate extension proposed by the European Council must also be accepted by the PM within two days, unless the Commons rejects it.
The developments came a day after the PM suffered a torrid 24 hours in which his brother resigned from government while describing being torn between family and “the national interest”.
The PM has said he wants polling day to be October 15, but to call the snap election he needs a two-thirds majority in the Commons and oppo
sition parties do not trust him to stick to that date.
They also have concerns about whether he will comply with the cross-party legislation passed by Parliament.
Mr Johnson used a press conference on Thursday to say he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than ask for a further delay.
Yesterday, during a visit to Scotland, he declined to rule out resigning if he fails to deliver Brexit on the current deadline.
“That is not a hypothesis I’m willing to contemplate. I want us to get this thing done,” Mr Johnson said.
Paul Scully MP, deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, responded to the opposition parties’ pact by saying: “This week Jeremy Corbyn has voted for the British government to surrender its negotiating position and delay yet again. Now he’s broken his promise to the people to hold an election and is stopping the voters deciding who goes to Brussels on 17 October to negotiate.
“Labour are blocking this country from moving on and refuse to be held to account for it.
“Their latest U-turn means more dither, more delay and not getting Brexit done. Britain would be forced to endure months more of a zombie Parliament that cannot deliver for the British public with nothing to show for it at the end.
“The Prime Minister trusts the people and believes the referendum must be respected.”
After visiting Aberdeenshire, Mr Johnson was scheduled to make the traditional prime ministerial trip to the Queen’s Balmoral estate, but the visit will be shorter than expected due to the political turmoil in Westminster.
The PM, expected to be accompanied by partner Carrie Symonds, was due to stay at the castle last night before returning to London today.