Johnson gets his Brexit election
●Polling day in run-up to Christmas as Prime Minister promises Scots Tories: ‘I’ll be up there’
Voters will give their verdict on the Brexit stalemate in the UK’S first December election for 96 years after MPS backed Boris Johnson’s call for a “new and revitalised” parliament.
Last night the Prime Minister promised Scottish Conservatives he would campaign on the ground to help them fight off the SNP and save their seats.
The country is set to go to the polls on 12 December, with labour leader jeremy corbyn agreeing to back an election “so this country can vote for the government that it deserves”.
MPS defied fears about a campaign waged in winter wet and darkness and voted by 438 to 20 in favour of legislation calling an early election on the government’s preferred date. Parliament will be dissolved at a minute past midnight on 6 November. Having helped to secure an election by pushing Labour to back a snap poll, the SNP and the Liberal Democrats both abstained.
As he left a meeting of Conservative MPS following last night’s vote, Mr Johnson said: “It’s going to be a tough election but we will do the best we can.” The Prime Minister told
Scottish Tory MPS: “I’ll be up there – I’ll be backing you all the way.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will kick off the SNP’S campaign today in Stirling, the most marginal Scottish Tory seat.
“We stand ready to take the fight to the Tories, to bring down this undemocratic government and give Scotland the chance to escape from Brexit and decide our own future,” Ms Sturgeon said. “A win for the SNP will be an unequivocal and irresistible demand for Scotland’s right to choose our own future.”
Labour was split over whether to back an election with the party trailing in the polls, with just 127 of its 244 MPS backing the legislation and 11 voting against.
After days of confusion over whether Labour would back the government, Mr Corbyn said the “debate is over” and claimed his party would “go out there with the biggest campaign this party has ever mounted, totally united, totally determined”.
But Labour MP Barry Sheerman underlined the divisions in the party, posting on Twitter that “a clear majority of our shadow cabinet were against a December election” but had relented following “interventions” from Mr Corbyn’s senior advisers, Seumas Milne and Karie Murphy.
Last night Mr Corbyn said the election was a “once-in-ageneration chance to transform our country.
“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. This is our chance to build a country for the many, not the few, and fit for the next generation.”
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said the poll offered the “best chance to elect a government to stop Brexit.
“The Liberal Democrats are the strongest party of Remain and will be standing on a manifesto to stop Brexit by revoking Article 50. This country deserves better than Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, and I am excited to take our positive, pro-european, liberal vision to the country as the Liberal Democrat candidate for prime minister.”
The legislation moves to the Lords today, where it can be amended, but peers are expected to respect the size of the majority in the Commons and not make any changes.
During the debate in the Commons, the Prime Minister went on the attack against Mr Corbyn and Labour, claiming “all they want to do is procrastinate. They don’t want to deliver Brexit on October 31, on November 31, even on January 31. They just want to spin it out forever, until the 12th of never.” Mr Johnson welcomed the opportunity for debate between “one-nation Conservatives and the socialists on the opposition benches.
“There is only one way now to move this country forward and to have that debate, and that is to get Brexit done.
“There is only one way to get Brexit done, in the face of this unrelenting parliamentary obstructionism – this endless, wilful, fingers crossed, ‘Not me, guv!’ refusal to deliver on the mandate of the people – and that is to refresh this parliament and to give the people a choice.”
The SNP’S Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, told MPS: “Scotland will become an independent country and the general election will be an important step on the way to completing that journey.”
An amendment from the Labour leader seeking to move polling day to 9 December was defeated by MPS. Opposition parties had sought to amend the legislation to extend the franchise to 16-year-olds and European citizens, but they were ruled to be out of scope by the deputy speaker. SNP MP Angus Macneil rebelled to oppose the election motion. An SNP group meeting yesterday is understood to have witnessed an angry clash between Mr Blackford and the Western Isles MP.
Mr Macneil said last night: “I just followed through on my belief that we should not be giving Boris Johnson the cutand-run election he wants.”
Shortly before voting for an election to break the deadlock over the UK’S departure from the EU, MPS were warned that the extension to the Brexit deadline to 31 January – the third since Article 50 was triggered – “may be the last one”.
European Council president Donald Tusk tweeted: “Please make the best use of this time… I will keep my fingers crossed for you.”
Yesterday the former Tory minister Heidi Allen and former Labour leadership contender Owen Smith joined the list of MPS who will stand down at the election.
It includes former Tory ministers Jo Johnson – the Prime Minister’s brother – Michael Fallon and Mark Field; Labour MPS Gloria de Piero and Ann Clwyd; Lib Dems Vince Cable and Norman Lamb; and independent former Tories Ken Clarke, Sir Nicholas Soames and Rory Stewart.