UK could have election on 9 December as Number 10 set to back Lib Dem ‘one-line bill’ plan
2 min read
The UK could be heading for a General Election on December 9 after Number 10 suggested it would table a one-line bill for it on Tuesday.
A source said it would be “almost identical” to one put forward by the Liberal Democrats, which gets around the need for two-thirds of MPs to agree to go back to the polls.
Boris Johnson is said to be looking at the idea as an alternative plan to get a pre-Christmas election secured, as his bid for one tonight is expected to fail.
The Prime Minister has tabled a motion under the Fixed-Term Parliament Act, which requires 434 MPs to trigger it.
But with Labour set to abstain there would be no way to reach that threshold, and his aim to have an election on 12 December will be thwarted.
However on Sunday a proposal was tabled by the Lib Dems and the SNP to amend the FTPA, which would only require a simple majority in Parliament, and fix the date for an election on 9 December.
The one-line legislation was dismissed as an “opportunistic stunt” by Labour and a “gimmick” by Conservative chair James Cleverly.
The PM’s spokesman said the Government was focused only on the FTPA motion, but a Number 10 source said at Monday lunchtime: “Tonight is Labour’s last chance to have election with Brexit delivered – they can vote for the 12th and get Brexit done before.
“If not, we will introduce a bill almost identical to the Lib Dem/SNP one tomorrow.
“This parliament has repeatedly failed to deliver on its promise to respect the referendum.
“Millions of families and businesses can’t plan because of constant delays.
“We need a new parliament by Christmas so we can get Brexit done in January and the country can move on.”
Lib Dem sources are suggesting they could back an election bill similar to theirs, but tabled by the Government, if it met their requirements.
They said of the planned legislation: “Has to meet our triple lock protection of avoiding no deal Brexit, facilitating ramming through the Withdrawal Agreement Bill and the date must be set in stone.”
If they and the SNP back it then the PM would have enough MPs to pass the bill, but in order to keep to the 9 December date it would need to be tabled on Tuesday and be passed completely through Parliament by the time the House of Commons rises on Thursday.
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