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Brexit election: Government rejects Lib Dem-SNP poll bid Brexit election: Government rejects Lib Dem-SNP poll bid
(about 1 hour later)
Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly has dismissed as a "gimmick" an attempt from the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party to trigger a 9 December election.Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly has dismissed as a "gimmick" an attempt from the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party to trigger a 9 December election.
He said the government - which wants a poll three days later on 12 December - had put forward its plan first. Their bill depends on the EU granting an extension until 31 January, which the government does not want.
But Lib Dem Jo Swinson said their plan removes the threat of no-deal through a Brexit extension to 31 January. Mr Cleverly also said he was "cynical" as the bill would be amendable - so MPs can suggest changes to it.
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said the bill would avert no-deal in the short term.
She said the bill would enshrine their proposed election date into law.She said the bill would enshrine their proposed election date into law.
The Lib Dems and SNP have said they reject the government's election date, which they believe would include time for the PM to "ram through" his Brexit Bill. The Lib Dems and SNP have said they reject the government's election date, which they believe would allow time for the PM to "ram through" his Brexit Bill.
The prime minister has said if MPs support a vote on Monday in the Commons for an election on 12 December, he will use the remaining time before Parliament is dissolved on 6 November to try to pass the legislation for his Brexit deal.The prime minister has said if MPs support a vote on Monday in the Commons for an election on 12 December, he will use the remaining time before Parliament is dissolved on 6 November to try to pass the legislation for his Brexit deal.
Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Cleverly said of the Lib Dem-SNP bill: "It's clearly a gimmick.
"Their bill moves the election date by three days, takes the withdrawal agreement completely off the table."
He said the government had put forward proposals for a general election first.
"What we're not going to do is, we're not going to listen to two parties who have explicitly said they want to stop Brexit from happening," he said.
"We're not going to be complicit in them stopping Brexit from happening."
'A simple bill'
Mr Johnson's plan for an election would require the agreement of two-thirds of MPs, under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act rules for calling an early general election.
The Lib Dem and SNP bill would only need a simple majority, if they can get the Parliamentary time for it to be debated.
Asked about possible amendments to her proposed bill, Ms Swinson told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that although any bill in Parliament can be amended, "the intention is very much that this is a simple bill that can be passed through Parliament quickly".
She said the "time pressure" involved in securing a poll before their desired 31 January deadline meant the party would not pursue amendments such as votes for 16-year-olds to the bill.