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LAST UPDATE | 29 Oct 2019
A DECEMBER ELECTION in the UK has moved significantly closer with the confirmation that Labour is to back a government motion to hold one.
In the House of Commons this afternoon, both Boris Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn backed the holding of a general election but the matter will be subject to a vote later today.
The vote may even be derailed ahead of time due to a number of amendments attached to the election bill.
Johnson failed for third time last night to get sufficient backing from MPs to hold an election but is trying another route today that is more likely to succeed.
Johnson has on three occasions sought to hold an election using the Fixed-Term Parliament Act, which requires two-thirds support in parliament, but failed to get the required numbers despite winning a majority on each of the votes.
This afternoon, Johnson said that his government has been “left with no choice but to go to the country to break free from this impasse”.
“There is only one way to get Brexit done in the face of this unrelenting parliamentary obstructionism, this endless, fingers crossed, refusal to deliver on the mandate of the people. And that is to refresh this parliament and give the people a choice,” Johnson said.
And I say this to the whole house and to people who may be wavering about whether to vote for this bill, there is only way to restore the esteem with which this democracy is held, and to recover the respect by which parliament should be held by the people of this country and this is finally to offer ourselves to the judgement of the people of this country.
Yesterday, Johnson fell 135 votes short of the 434 required to get an election after the vast majority of Labour MPs abstained.
After that proved unsuccessful, the UK government has today tabled a bill which will simply set the date of the next election as 12 December. This would require a simple majority in parliament.
The government had been wary of going down this route because such a bill could be amendment by opposition politicians.
A motion tabled by Labour’s Stella Creasy this afternoon was passed by the House of Commons making it easier for MPs to table amendments to the bill.
Two amendments being proposed would give 16 and 17 year olds and EU citizens the right vote in the election.
These amendments are unlikely to be selected for MPs to vote on but this will be decided later.
If they are selected and subsequently passed the government has said it will pull the entire election bill.
Despite this, the prospect of an election moved closer this morning after Corbyn confirmed that Labour would be supporting the government’s motion to hold an election.
Corbyn has repeatedly stated that he would support an election only after if the threat of a no-deal exit was removed.
This morning, the document officially granting the UK a Brexit extension until 31 January 2020 was published and Corbyn has said this allows him to support an election.
This, however, is despite the EU confirming that an extension was granted yesterday before MPs voted on holding an election.
Addressing his party front bench this morning, Corbyn confirmed that his party’s position will now support the holding of an election.
“We have now heard from the EU that the extension of Article 50 to 31 January has been confirmed, so for the next three months, our condition of taking no-deal off the table has now been met,” Corbyn said.
Speaking this afternoon in the House of Commons, Corbyn said he backed to election as a way of removing “this reckless and destructive Conservative government”.
“A government that has caused more of our children to be living in poverty, more pensioners to be in poverty and more people to be in work poverty. More families without a home to call their own and more people living on the streets,” Corbyn said.
“I’ve said consistently that when no-deal is off the table we will back an election. Today after much denial and much bluster by the Prime Minister, that deal is now off the table. So this country can now vote for the government it deserves.”
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So the MP’s can vote so many times to get what they want (may 3 votes on her deal/ Borris more votes his deal and 4 votes on an election)… yet the people can’t vote a second time on an ill-informed referendum..? All animals are equal but some are more equal than others….. democracy me arse.
@Kevin Conway: hopefully this will. Get a few amendments attached on a customs union or a second referendum.
@Edmund Murphy: The problem is the Johns and Willie’s of the world can’t admit they were lied to the first time and that their dream is only a dream. It’s very hard to admit to gullibility. You won’t change their minds. They will stand in the rain with no shelter, timetable or even a bus stop waiting for their promised bus to come. If they don’t hold out for it then what was all their pain and embareasment for?
@Edmund Murphy: if you were going to cancel all elections in which politicians lied there would never have been a valid election anywhere
@Stephen Brady: Don’t have to cancel them. Just have to see democracy as not one single event. It is a process every day and a second referendum is part of that process. In the first referendum they votes for a hundred different brexits because they were lied to a hundered different ways, none of which are deliverable which is why they have been paralysed in parliment. Twice now they have had a deliverable deal. Neither were on the original Brexit ballot but neither was a hard brexit. The question was just “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?” There was no mandate to leave the EEA or any other European institutions other than the EU. Let them have a say now on an achievable result or to stay in the EU. That’s honest and democratic.
@Edmund Murphy: the ballot had leave or stay a binary option. As no one has ever left the EU no one still knows how that will look. All that was known that article 50 was triggered and they should have left after 2 years. No mention of a deal in article 50.
@Stephen Brady: You make a great point but the wording was leave the EU and only that not to leave the EEA. They should have left after 2 years and just dropped down into the EEA. No need for a deal then or any other issues. You can make a fair argument that the voters thought that was the same thing but you can make the same argument that they knew it was different. As the difference were not discussed. If they just tried to action the question asked “to leave the EU” they could be out by now but successive PM have added their own interpretations of what the vote meant and failed because they have no mandate beyond exactly what the vote stated. Hopefully a mature election debate can give a clear mandate but I doubt it.
@Edmund Murphy: theres me thinking the johns and Willies of the world are the same person trolling away to their black little hearts joy.
@Paul Furey: I think they are different stages of the life cycle. John’s evolve into Willy’s.
Great news. Hopefully Boris the numbers he wants and the UK leaves in early January.
@John: Another very recent pro-Brexit twitter account! Who’s pulling the strings??
@Goban Saor: Don’t like defending him but John’s been Trolling for a good while now. At this point I’m 90% on him being a real boy which is depressing considering his level of discourse.
@John: the doctors in the asylum really shouldn’t be letting you have internet access or access to forums to post stuff…….maybe go back to the padded cell, have some meds and take a nice nap
@John: Hi there Willie!
@John: er, what year?
At their recent conference, Labour committed to:
Abolish all private schools
Four day working week
Renationalise train service
Should be interesting to see how the electorate react to that.
@Chin Feeyin: Its strange looking in from the outside seeing all those at the lower end of the scale pushing for brexit when in fact its those on the bottoms rungs of societies ladder that will get hit hardest. Then you have labour wanting to protect workers rights , NHS etc all the things that will help those very people getting slaughtered…
You really couldn’t make it up, the only explanation I can see is lack of education or that those people believe the red tops to be honourable in what they print.. Its crazy, when it does happen it will be very interesting to see those people lower down being even poorer with a worse health system that is geared to those who can pay like mogg etc, with brutal workers rights to boot etc etc…
In centuries to come it would be interesting watching teachers trying to explain this history lesson to classes..
@MickN: i think you are mistaken. UK is around long enough to know the mob will destroy them if they cut them loose. Keep them stupid by narrowing the conversation and feed them scraps, thats how they rule.
@MickN: They had decent workers’ rights and one of the best health services in the world before the EU as well, post war Britain was very progressive. They also had high immigration before the EU.
@MickN: I think it boils down to people being unhappy with how their life turned out and finding it more attractive to blame others (The EU, foreigners) than take responsibility for their own life decisions and look to improve it through what’s in their own control.
If they’ve chosen the path of delusion they’ll continue to blame others for the consequences of Brexit and become much more militantly resentful of other countries and cultures. I don’t think they’ll ever have a penny drop moment of realising how they’re being exploited by the upper class.
@Rochelle: Your probably right , it will be the next generation that looks back and shakes their head at what they done…
@Rochelle: Same as Trump voters in the US. Deep down they know they’ll still get shafted but it makes them feel better that Trump is supposedly sticking it to liberals and foreigners.
@SC: the world is a different place than it was 46 years ago when the UK joined the EEC. For starters, US Heath was not-for-profit which is clearly no longer the case. “UK officials discussed NHS at ‘secret’ meetings with US drug companies as part of trade talks… Envoys sidestep ban on discussing drug prices by referring to controversial subject ‘valuing innovation’”
When it comes to workers rights they, too, are indeed under threat. “The British government is planning to diverge from the EU on regulation and workers’ rights after Brexit, despite its pledge to maintain a “level playing field” in prime minister Boris Johnson’s deal, according to an official paper shared by ministers this week.”
https://www.ft.com/content/5eb0944e-f67c-11e9-9ef3-eca8fc8f2d65
It’s an absolute disgrace at this point. EU payed for Liebour, denying democracy at every turn.
BJ will eventually see the people vote and Corbyn will be history as liebour are here. So many lies and betrayel will see them pay. Brexit is being denied by elitism and parliament assisted by eu despite a nation’s will. This will not end well for us.
@Willy Mc Bride: The EU and high level remainers have had several meeting over the last few years to discuss ways to subvert the will of the people. They had an easy ride some years ago with the Nice and Lisbon fiasco rejecting the democratic will of the Irish electorate but have come up against an admirable foe with Boris and the leave campaign. They are desperate now but i fully expect a landslide conservative and brexit party alliance to form a new government in January. Labour are finished as a serious politicial movement now.
@Willy Mc Bride: elitisim is whats driving brexit , see NHS after brexit…
@John: rejecting the democratic will of the Irish electorate? Who voted the second time around? The Irish electorate did. Why did the Irish electorate change their minds? Because the treaties proposed the first time around were not the same as those proposed the second time. I voted no to both treaties on both occasions. But, they were different on each occasion and it was democratic. Just because you didn’t like the answer you got does not make it undemocratic. The EU has not tried to subvert the will of the people regarding Brexit. If there had been no complicated Irish-UK land border issue this would all have been sorted years ago and the UK would be out. The problem was that the UK leadership didn’t know what it wanted, when it wanted it or how to implement it.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: Brilliant comment.
@Willy Mc Bride: you’re getting your willy and john accounts mixed up.
@MickN: Yes its interesting to note that the E.U was in the process of chasing down tax havens like the Cayman Is. Guess who has millions stacked away over there
Corbyn is trying to save face by claiming their condition of no no-deal has been met. They’ve only received an extension and a no deal is still a real possibility.
But thank God there’s going to be elections so this can finally be put to bed.
@sVRCsaSg: agree , this will result in rioting and civil unrest if it isn’t put to bed soon. The British public deserve more than never ending political intrigue.
A bad day for the remoaners.
@John: says the biggest moaner of them all.
Ah Jeremy you’ve bottled it
Sinn Féin need to agree to tactical voting, a few Anti Brexit seats could be the difference between revoking Article 50 and a few more years of this.
@Goban Saor: It’s virtually over. Conservative government aided by Nigel Garage will see brexit done come January. EUs antidemocracy game is up. In fact EU as a whole is doomed.
SF were elected on a promise never to swear an oath to Queen. But you know that . Gonna have a stóp of at paddy powers on way home and make a score bet that you sir are a true blue shirt and Lieo lover. Ya just don’t agree with democracy.
@Goban Saor: Bad day remoaner …
@Willy Mc Bride: your comment probably read better in its original Russian
@Goban Saor: i dont think he got an A. cant even spell Labour correctly
@Goban Saor: the electorate of the 6 counties will decide who they want to elect.
Sinn Féin have clearly stated they are an abstention party, so no ambiguity after the result of if they’ll take their seats or not
Goodbye Corbyn, Lib Dems will flourish, Brexit Party will split Brexit vote, no Brexit..
Couldnt handle anymore splinters in your a@se jeremy ?
So Boris gets re-elected.
What happens next?
@Rodney Williams: Probably another hung parliment. Conservatives will gain seats from Labour but loose seats to the lib Dems and SNP. Brexit party will gain a small few seats from conservatives and labour. The deck chairs will move but their won’t be a majority for anything. The only big results would be a wipe out for conservatives in Scotland leading to a possible second Scotland independence referendum earlier and maybe the DUP will loose a seat to the UUP. But this is Britain they seem to have gone mad. Could be the poor vote in droves for Boris just so that the boot that crushes them can be a British one (it always was but they have been convinced its a EU jackboot no matter the evidence)
@Rodney Williams: He has the power to leave with no deal. EU sells us out even more to secure a better deal for EU. That bus will arrive after all. We are being played badly. FFG are useless..
@Willy Mc Bride: as I said before Willie and John will never give up on their bus. It’s sad really. They could have walked at this stage.
@Edmund Murphy: Bad day. People will have democracy served. You as a blue shirt seem very agitated . You lost, democracy won.
@Willy Mc Bride: To be fair I am wearing a blue shirt to work today. First time in history Willie had a fact correct.
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