Conservative and Labour splits emerge over calls for Christmas general election
2 min read
Splits within the Conservatives and Labour have erupted over calls for a general election before Christmas.
Senior figures around Boris Johnson - led by his top adviser Dominic Cummings - are eager to go to the country in December with a pledge to deliver the Prime Minister's Brexit deal if the Tories win a majority.
But some Cabinet ministers, including Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith, believe the Government should make one more attempt to pass the Withdrawal Agreement Bill before an election is considered.
Meanwhile, Labour MPs are cautioning Jeremy Corbyn against supporting any new attempt by the Government to hold an election.
According to The Times, Mr Johnson could table an election motion under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act as soon as Thursday evening, teeing up a poll around 12 December.
But dozens of Labour backbenchers have made clear to whips that they will not vote for it because they fear they the party is heading for a heavy defeat.
The split at the top of the Conservatives burst into the open during a meeting between Mr Johnson, Mr Corbyn and their respective aides in the PM's office in the Commons on Wednesday.
PoliticsHome has been told that after the Prime Minister asked the Labour contingent how much time they were offering to pass the WAB, Mr Cummings interjected to say there should be a general election instead.
He was then over-ruled by Mr Johnson. A Downing Street source insisted there had been "no row" between the pair.
The meeting eventually broke up with no agreement reached between the two sides on the best way forward.
A Number 10 spokesman said: "The Prime Minister wants to get his deal done by 31 October.
"If this Parliament is unwilling to vote for a deal, then we will have to go for a general election.
"If there were a general election called, we would campaign on the fact that we've got a great deal that will get Brexit done."
Meanwhile, Labour also appeared to be cooling on the idea of a snap election.
Mr Corbyn has previously insisted that a poll should take place as soon as the EU has granted a Brexit extension beyond 31 October.
But his spokesman hinted that may not be enough, because the prospect of a no-deal Brexit would still remain.
He said: "We remain absolutely where we've been, which is that we'll support an election once a no-deal crash out if off the table."
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
