Labour’s message expected to be simple: “We won’t let you take the p***, but otherwise bring it on.”
Boris Johnson’s attempt to force a general election through the Fixed Term Parliaments Act (FTPA), which would have given him complete control over the election date, has failed by 299 votes to 70. Under the FTPA he needed a two-thirds majority of MPs to support it. 299 votes is short of the two-thirds figure.
Labour abstained as Jeremy Corbyn does not trust Johnson to stick to his mooted date of 12 December instead of bringing the date forward to facilitate a no-deal Brexit.
Johnson is expected to announce a one-line bill as separate legislation calling a general election, which would only require a simple majority of MPs participating in the vote. Crucially, that bill will be amendable – an amendment to impose a fixed date on the election is expected, potentially along with other measures.
Corbyn is expected to support the one-line bill, subject to guarantees on the right of students to vote – a December election risks many being outside their registered voting constituency – and satisfactory measures to preclude a no-deal Brexit.
Labour’s message will be simple: “We won’t let you take the p***, but otherwise bring it on.”
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Trouble in Paradise
‘The Peoples Vote’ are at each others throats, sounds like it’s all over for No Brexit
Will say it again, centrists are not nice people, it’s always only a matter of time before they disappear up their own backsides
REJOICE
Hurrah
Not going for an election would kill us in the country
The LibDems desperately need an election before Brexit; if they leave it too late their policy will have to change to ‘Re-join’- not a happy voting position for the 2224 election perhaps? The imperative of an early election makes it possible for them to bet everything on that, students, EU citizens, People’s Vote can all go to the back of the Q; (“quiet now, Chukka is about to speak to us! A hush falls).The sad thing is that they know what the result will be. Can it be true they hope for another minority Tory government and this time they’ll replace the DUP? Yes! they do. They’re politicians. Sure they’ll risk 5 years of Johnson outdoing Thatcher; no problem, Libs can join the government and ‘soften’ the Tory line; that was what they span last time. Is there anybody of integrity left in the party I wonder?