Fresh blow for Boris Johnson as MPs reject bid to trigger early general election
4 min read
Boris Johnson has failed in his latest bid to force a general election.
MPs voted 299 to 70 in favour of the Prime Minister's attempt to go to the country on 12 December.
But because he needed the support of two-thirds of MPs - 434 in total - for it to be approved, his plans for a snap poll were scuppered for the third time.
His latest defeat was guaranteed after Jeremy Corbyn confirmed Labour would not be backing an election, arguing that the PM "cannot be trusted" not to use it to deliver a no-deal Brexit.
Kicking off a 90-minute Commons debate on his election bid, Mr Johnson said he had been left with no choice after MPs voted to block his attempt to pass the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in three days last week.
He said: "Across the country there is a widespread view that this Parliament has run its course.
"And that is because I simply do not believe that this House is capable of delivering on the priorities of the people, whether that means Brexit or anything else."
The PM also mocked Mr Corbyn, who he said had "run out of excuses" for opposing an election.
He said. "First he said of the Benn Act, and I quote: 'Let this Bill pass and get Royal Assent and then we will back an election'. The Bill passed and gained Royal Assent and he still shrank from an encounter with the voters.
"Then he said we would wait until the Act had been complied with. Now he says we have got to take no-deal off the table at the end of the transition period in January 2020. Of course, I think his so-called anxieties are absurd because I am confident we are going to negotiate a fantastic new trade deal that will bring thousands of new jobs and business to communities across this country.
"But even if he disagrees, would it not make sense, even according to his own logic, for him to agree to an election now so he could have the opportunity to take no-deal off the table himself. Isn't that the logic of his position? Mr Speaker, he can run, but he cannot hide forever."
Mr Corbyn said he feared that if Mr Johnson secured Commons backing for an election, he would not call it until after the latest Brexit extension of 31 January, meaning the UK could still leave the EU without a deal.
He said: "The reason I am so cautious is quite simply I do not trust the Prime Minister."
The Labour leader also claimed that a 12 December election date could prevent old people and students from voting.
"It is less than a fortnight before Christmas, nine days before the shortest day of the year," he said. "The House must consider than in parts of this country it will be dark before 4pm.
"Many students will have just finished their term and gone home for Christmas...well actually people having the right to vote is what an election is all about, and they risk being disenfranchised."
It is now expected the Government could attempt to move a one-line bill on Tuesday calling for a pre-Christmas poll around 9 December.
The SNP and Liberal Democrats, who published similar proposals on Sunday, are expected to back it.
Crucially, it would only require a simple majority, meaning it has far more chance of passing even if Labour oppose it.
A government source said: "Tonight is Labour’s last chance to have election with Brexit delivered - they can vote for 12th and get Brexit done before. If not, we will introduce a Bill almost identical to the Lib Dem/SNP tomorrow.
“This Parliament has repeatedly failed to deliver on its promise to respect the referendum. Millions of families & businesses can’t plan because of constant delays. We need new Parliament by Christmas so we can Get Brexit Done in January and the country can move on.”
It comes after Mr Johnson's pledge to leave take the UK out of the EU "do or die" by the 31 October was left in tatters after European Council President Donald Tusk confirmed on Monday that EU leaders were backing a three-month "flextension" to the Brexit deadline.
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
