London, October 29
Embattled British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's fourth bid to force an early general election on December 12 cleared its first Parliament hurdle on Tuesday as MPs backed it without the need for a vote, a day after a similar attempt was rejected by the leaders following the European Union's further extension to the Brexit deadline until January 31.
The House of Commons debate on the bill will carry on as MPs consider amendments, including an Opposition Labour Party proposal to change the date to December 9 to ensure Johnson cannot sneak through his Brexit Bill before Parliament is dissolved and also to ensure a strong turnout for the snap poll.
The UK PM can only hold an early election with the support of MPs, who have previously blocked it three times. Efforts by Opposition MPs to lower the voting age to 16 and also allow EU nationals to take part have failed as the changes were not selected for debate by the Deputy Speaker.
But with MPs overall backing a December poll, a pre-Christmas election now looks certain. One proposed change to the early election motion that will be considered is a call by Labour — backed by the other Opposition parties — to hold the poll three days earlier on December 9.
This, they argue, would ensure that university students are more likely to be able to take part because it would still be in term time.
The prospect of an election became more and more likely after the European Union (EU) had agreed on a three-month extension to the October 31 Brexit deadline.
This meant Johnson's “do or die” pledge to leave the economic bloc by Halloween was effectively dead and he was determined to push through an early poll to try and change his current minority figures in Parliament.
The Labour Party had so far refused to back an early poll until the threat of a no-deal crashout by October end had been taken off the table, a condition which was met with the new Brexit deadline now being January 31, 2020. — PTI
Is December 11 Voting Day?
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Under Britain’s Fixed Term Parliament Act, the UK is not due for an election until May 2022. But Johnson is keen to break the current Brexit deadlock with the gamble that he can win the election and secure the support needed to push through his Brexit deal
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Anti-Brexit parties the SNP and Liberal Democrats favour an election on December 9, as they don't trust Johnson. They fear that his call for December 12 gives him extra days to try to push through his paused deal before campaigning starts. Sources close to Johnson said he could compromise and call for a December 11 poll
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/32Yn6MH
via Today’s News Headlines
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