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| Brexit: PM to try again for 12 December election after MPs reject plan | Brexit: PM to try again for 12 December election after MPs reject plan |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Boris Johnson is to try again for a 12 December general election - despite MPs rejecting his plan. | Boris Johnson is to try again for a 12 December general election - despite MPs rejecting his plan. |
| The prime minister will now publish a bill that would only need a simple majority to succeed - not two thirds as required in previous attempts. | The prime minister will now publish a bill that would only need a simple majority to succeed - not two thirds as required in previous attempts. |
| But he would still need support from Lib Dems and the SNP for it to pass. | But he would still need support from Lib Dems and the SNP for it to pass. |
| Mr Johnson told MPs Parliament was "dysfunctional" and could "no longer keep this country hostage" but Labour said the PM could not be trusted. | Mr Johnson told MPs Parliament was "dysfunctional" and could "no longer keep this country hostage" but Labour said the PM could not be trusted. |
| The Commons backed the government's election motion by 299 to 70 - well short of the two-thirds majority needed under the Fixed-Term Parliament Act. | The Commons backed the government's election motion by 299 to 70 - well short of the two-thirds majority needed under the Fixed-Term Parliament Act. |
| All Conservative MPs backed the motion - but the vast majority of Labour MPs abstained, along with the SNP and DUP. All but one Lib Dem MPs voted against it. | All Conservative MPs backed the motion - but the vast majority of Labour MPs abstained, along with the SNP and DUP. All but one Lib Dem MPs voted against it. |
| The vote came after the PM officially accepted the EU's offer of an extension to the Brexit process to 31 January. | The vote came after the PM officially accepted the EU's offer of an extension to the Brexit process to 31 January. |
| In a letter to EU officials, Mr Johnson said the further three-month delay - which he insists was forced upon him by Parliament - was "unwanted". | In a letter to EU officials, Mr Johnson said the further three-month delay - which he insists was forced upon him by Parliament - was "unwanted". |
| This means the UK will not now leave the EU on Thursday - 31 October - a promise Mr Johnson had repeatedly made since he became prime minister. | |
| Mr Johnson said he would persist with his efforts to get an early election, telling MPs that "one way or another" the current deadlock had to be broken. | Mr Johnson said he would persist with his efforts to get an early election, telling MPs that "one way or another" the current deadlock had to be broken. |
| The new legislation he is proposing would require a lower threshold for approval and, crucially, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP have indicated they might be prepared to support it. | The new legislation he is proposing would require a lower threshold for approval and, crucially, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP have indicated they might be prepared to support it. |
| The DUP, which opposes Mr Johnson's Brexit agreement and which abstained in Monday's vote, could also potentially come on board. | |
| However, there are arguments over the date of an election. | |
| 'Very similar' | |
| The Lib Dems and SNP want Monday, 9 December, which they say will prevent any chance of the prime minister's Brexit deal being approved before Parliament is dissolved. | The Lib Dems and SNP want Monday, 9 December, which they say will prevent any chance of the prime minister's Brexit deal being approved before Parliament is dissolved. |
| Parliament has to be dissolved a minimum of 25 working days before the date of an election to allow sufficient preparations to take place. | Parliament has to be dissolved a minimum of 25 working days before the date of an election to allow sufficient preparations to take place. |
| The government has said it will not try to resurrect the Withdrawal Agreement Bill - required to put Mr Johnson's Brexit deal into law - before Parliament is dissolved for an election. | |
| This is designed to assuage the concerns of the SNP and Lib Dems - who want to fight the election on a platform of stopping Brexit entirely. | |
| But No 10 is currently holding firm on its preferred election date of 12 December. | |
| It maintains it would be very difficult for an election bill to pass through both the Commons and the Lords, and receive Royal Assent by 00:01 on Friday in order to meet a 9 December deadline. | |
| A No 10 source said the government's bill would be "very similar" to that proposed by the Lib Dems and the SNP - but with the 12 December election date enshrined in law, to reassure those who worry that Mr Johnson could change his mind. | |
| 'Bewildered' | 'Bewildered' |
| Negotiations between the two sides over a compromise are reportedly taking place in Westminster, although Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has said, as it stands, she will not agree to the 12 December date. | Negotiations between the two sides over a compromise are reportedly taking place in Westminster, although Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has said, as it stands, she will not agree to the 12 December date. |
| "He's (Boris Johnson) going for a different plan," she told MPs. "This just raises a suspicion... and this is not a man who you can trust." | "He's (Boris Johnson) going for a different plan," she told MPs. "This just raises a suspicion... and this is not a man who you can trust." |
| Mr Johnson told MPs voters would be "absolutely bewildered" by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's apparent resistance to an election. | Mr Johnson told MPs voters would be "absolutely bewildered" by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's apparent resistance to an election. |
| Mr Corbyn said he would study the details of the legislation but would only support an election once a no-deal Brexit had been taken off the table. | |
| He also wants assurances that students will not be "disenfranchised" if the vote is held outside term time. | He also wants assurances that students will not be "disenfranchised" if the vote is held outside term time. |
| Many Labour MPs remain adamantly opposed to an election in any circumstances, amid concerns about the party's poor poll ratings and confusion over the party's Brexit policy of negotiating a new deal and holding another referendum. | |
| Meanwhile, the BBC understands the government has "stood down" its Operation Yellowhammer contingency planning for a no-deal exit, while it has also paused its £100m Get Ready for Brexit on 31 October campaign. | |
| Do you have any questions about the latest Brexit developments? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
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