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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/oct/28/boris-johnsons-election-vote-looms-as-eu-decides-on-brexit-delay-politics-live
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Brexit: Boris Johnson says parliament has 'run its course' as he opens debate on early election – live news | |
(32 minutes later) | |
Journalists are split over the precise implications of Corbyn’s words. | |
This is from the BBC’s Iain Watson. | |
And @jeremycorbyn says a Dec 12 election will be after many students have finished term and the right to vote is important - this doesnt apply to Dec 9th the #snp and @libdems date | |
And this is from HuffPost’s Paul Waugh. | |
Pretty clear from Corbyn that he wont ever enable a December general election. Talks of students not disenfranchised as new test...suggests to me earliest election he would back will be 2nd week of January | |
I will post the exact quotes in a moment so that you are better able to judge who’s right. | |
Corbyn also says he is opposed to an election on Thursday 12 December, particularly because students might not be at university to vote. | |
Corbyn on why he opposed 12 December;- Lack of daylight - Many students will have gone home from where they’re registered to vote | |
Corbyn says Labour will not agree to an early election until the government has committed itself to a specific date. | |
This is significant because it implies Labour could support, or at least abstain on, legislation to amend the Fixed-term Parliaments Act to allow an early election. | |
Labour’s Stephen Doughty intervenes to say there are rumours that Johnson will not even stand as an MP at the election in his constituency, Uxbridge and South Ruislip (where he had a majority of 5,034 at the last election). Johnson may stand in Sevenoaks (where there was a Tory majority of 21,917 in 2017) or East Yorkshire (where it was 15,006), Doughty says. | |
Johnson shakes his head but does not intervene. | |
Jeremy Corbyn is responding to Boris Johnson. | |
He says Johnson has broken his promises. | |
The government spent £100m on an advertising campaign saying the UK would be leaving the EU on 31 October. He says that money could have been spend on food parcels for food banks, or social care packages. | |
He says an investigation for Channel 4’s Dispatches programme has revealed that the government has been holding secret meetings with US drug companies about the price paid for drugs by the NHS. | |
He says the prime minister has not confirmed that he will be accepting the extension offered by the EU. | |
This provokes much jeering from MPs who have been reading Twitter on their phones. Johnson intervenes and says he has sent a letter to the EU confirming that he will obey the law. | |
(Corbyn will have written his speech before the text of the PM’s letter to Tusk was published. See 5.31pm.) | |
Boris Johnson has written to Donald Tusk, president of the European council, confirming that the UK is accepting the extension offered by the EU. Under the Benn Act, he had no choice. See 10.13am. Here is his letter (pdf). | Boris Johnson has written to Donald Tusk, president of the European council, confirming that the UK is accepting the extension offered by the EU. Under the Benn Act, he had no choice. See 10.13am. Here is his letter (pdf). |
In the letter Johnson urges the EU to rule out any further extension beyond 31 January. | In the letter Johnson urges the EU to rule out any further extension beyond 31 January. |
Johnson accuses Jeremy Corbyn of wanting to frustrate the wishes of the people. | Johnson accuses Jeremy Corbyn of wanting to frustrate the wishes of the people. |
Corbyn has “run out of excuses”, he says. | Corbyn has “run out of excuses”, he says. |
He says first Corbyn said the Benn act would have to pass for Labour to back an election. | He says first Corbyn said the Benn act would have to pass for Labour to back an election. |
Then Corbyn said the Benn act would have to be implemented, Johnson says. | Then Corbyn said the Benn act would have to be implemented, Johnson says. |
And now Corbyn is coming up with more extreme excuses, he says. He says Corbyn now wants the government to rule out a no-deal Brexit at the end of 2020. | And now Corbyn is coming up with more extreme excuses, he says. He says Corbyn now wants the government to rule out a no-deal Brexit at the end of 2020. |
He says Corbyn should agree to an election so, if he wins, he can rule out a no-deal Brexit himself. | He says Corbyn should agree to an election so, if he wins, he can rule out a no-deal Brexit himself. |
He says Corbyn’s allies, like the Lib Dems and the SNP, are deserting him. | He says Corbyn’s allies, like the Lib Dems and the SNP, are deserting him. |
The DUP MP Ian Paisley intervenes. If Boris Johnson wins the election, will he implement the Brexit deal he negotiated? Or will he try and renegotiate the provisions for Northern Ireland. | The DUP MP Ian Paisley intervenes. If Boris Johnson wins the election, will he implement the Brexit deal he negotiated? Or will he try and renegotiate the provisions for Northern Ireland. |
Johnson says he will be campaigning to implement the “excellent deal” he negotiated. | Johnson says he will be campaigning to implement the “excellent deal” he negotiated. |
Boris Johnson is opening the debate on his motion calling for an early election. It is the third time he has asked MPs to vote on this. After both previous debates Johnson won the vote - but not with the two-thirds majority required under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act for the vote to count. | Boris Johnson is opening the debate on his motion calling for an early election. It is the third time he has asked MPs to vote on this. After both previous debates Johnson won the vote - but not with the two-thirds majority required under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act for the vote to count. |
He starts by saying that MPs do not want an early election. | He starts by saying that MPs do not want an early election. |
But there is a widespread view that this parliament has “run its course”, he says. He says it is not capable of delivering on the priorities of the people. | But there is a widespread view that this parliament has “run its course”, he says. He says it is not capable of delivering on the priorities of the people. |
This is from the Conservative Brexiter MP Craig Mackinlay. | This is from the Conservative Brexiter MP Craig Mackinlay. |
Looks like disgraceful Benn/#SurrenderAct has delivered what the #Brexit blockers intended -a foul & unwanted extension. So be it; gives us the time that wasn’t available to the #PM to reopen the #WA and get changes to #NIProtocol to the satisfaction of @duponline. #Silverlining | Looks like disgraceful Benn/#SurrenderAct has delivered what the #Brexit blockers intended -a foul & unwanted extension. So be it; gives us the time that wasn’t available to the #PM to reopen the #WA and get changes to #NIProtocol to the satisfaction of @duponline. #Silverlining |
Steve Baker, the Tory MP who chairs the European Research Group, which represents hardline Brexiters, thinks his colleague has a point. | Steve Baker, the Tory MP who chairs the European Research Group, which represents hardline Brexiters, thinks his colleague has a point. |
It’s a good point worth exploring. https://t.co/aNt2rjLcMP | It’s a good point worth exploring. https://t.co/aNt2rjLcMP |
The Scottish parliament’s information centre has produced a 39-page briefing (pdf) on what the withdrawal agreement bill means for Scotland. | The Scottish parliament’s information centre has produced a 39-page briefing (pdf) on what the withdrawal agreement bill means for Scotland. |