MPs back 12 December election

[muriel_volestrangler]

Last edited Tue Oct 29, 2019, 04:34 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: BBC

The UK is set for a 12 December general election after MPs voted to back it following months of deadlock over Brexit.

By a margin of 438 votes to 20, the Commons approved legislation paving the way for the first December election since 1923.

The bill is still to be approved by the Lords but could become law by the end of the week.

If that happens, there will be a five-week campaign up to polling day.



Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-50229318

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Earlier story was:

Jeremy Corbyn has announced that Labour is ready to back a general election now that the EU has granted a three-month Brexit delay, making a pre-Christmas poll all but certain.
...
Downing Street had said it planned to call for a 12 December general election in its one-line bill, but a No 10 source said on Tuesday it would be prepared to accept an amendment, if proposed by the Lib Dems and SNP, for an election one day earlier, on 11 December.

A Lib Dem source said the party would be willing to consider the 11 December date. The SNP said no decision had yet been taken.

(the quibbling over the date is partly about the earlier it is, the more students are still at university, which is an advantage for the Lib Dems, and partly, I think, just over wanting it to be the date their party chose, and not someone else. Labour's statement makes it look like something will get chosen today, anyway)

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/29/downing-street-signals-compromise-on-potential-general-election-date

About half an hour ago:

The Commons has rejected Jeremy Corbyn’s proposal to hold an early general on 9 December, rather than the government’s plan to do so three days later.

MPs voted against amendment 2 by 315 votes to 295; a majority of 20.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/oct/29/brexit-latest-news-general-election-debate-boris-johnson-faces-backlash-from-tories-over-plan-to-hold-election-before-passing-withdrawal-bill-live-news?page=with:block-5db898178f08c428d8932e05#block-5db898178f08c428d8932e05

[Recursion]

1. I think the Tories are miscalculating here

If they run with the UK still in the EU Farage is going to eat them for breakfast.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Perhaps; having a deal ready to go gives them something to campaign on, though

The anti-Europe ERG seem to have concluded that it's an OK deal for them, which may indicate how the further right Tory voters will lean - grudgingly accept what Johnson negotiated. They've lost their DUP support, but I suspect many of them will be glad not to be tied to them any more.

Labour has internal divisions about this - much of the shadow cabinet are said to have opposed accepting a December election.

[Recursion]

3. ERG only supported it as a way to get no deal

I'm not convinced the deal actually commands the votes to pass, when it comes to actually implementing the legislation. And Arlene is now saying DUP will back revoke out of their rage at Johnson (who would have thought Unionists held a grudge?)

Interesting times, as they say.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. It doesn't matter whether the deal commands the votes now, if there's an election

Johnson will campaign on "vote in Tories, the deal will pass, and 'Brexit will be done'" (in reality, there'll be all the negotiation on future trade to do, but for the voters, that will be Somebody Else's Problem).

I can't work out what you mean by "ERG only supported it as a way to get no deal". They'd have been closer to No Deal if they'd opposed it.

[Recursion]

5. Johnson's original deal was a fig leaf

He wanted to get Parliamentary approval for the bill and then not actually implement it legislatively. That's why he pulled it after the amendment that withheld Parliamentary assent until the implementing legislation was passed. The implementing legislation will be the blocker, because the ERG won't vote for it.