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Brexit: MPs vote for general election on 12 December - live news | Brexit: MPs vote for general election on 12 December - live news |
(32 minutes later) | |
Owen Smith, who challenged Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership in 2016, will not seek reelection, he has announced: | |
For political and personal reasons, I have written tonight to @jeremycorbyn informing him of my decision not to stand at the coming General Election. It has been a great honour and a privilege to serve the people of the Pontypridd Constituency. pic.twitter.com/mIxz8spZte | |
Dave Ward, the general secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), has tweeted: | |
Lots of people asking if postal workers would take strike action during a general election. To be clear - we will do whatever it takes to defend our members. | |
Earlier this month, CWU members working for Royal Mail backed strikes by 97% in a huge turnout of almost 76%, raising the threat of industrial action in the run-up to Christmas. | |
The former cabinet minister, John Whittingdale, has said the prime minister told the meeting that, while it would be a “tough election”, the Tories have “everything to play for”. Whittingdale added: | |
He said it wasn’t because we were ahead in the polls or the because of the horror of Corbyn but because we had no alternative; that parliament is deadlocked and the only way to solve that is to have a general election. | |
(He said) we would be taking the deal which he negotiated – and which defied all expectation in that it got all that we wanted – and we will be campaigning to ratify that deal and then get on with tackling the big agenda. | |
The senior Tory MP, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, said the prime minister was “pretty upbeat” about the Conservatives’ chances at an election. | |
Alistair Burt welcomed being one of the 10 Tory rebels readmitted to the parliamentary party. After leaving the 1922 Committee, he told reporters: | |
Back in the fold. It’s a big family and it’s very nice to have them back and I’m very appreciative. [Boris Johnson] is a born campaigner, no doubt about that. | |
Boris Johnson has told reporters it’s time for the country to “come together to get Brexit done” as he left the Conservative backbench MPs’ meeting. | Boris Johnson has told reporters it’s time for the country to “come together to get Brexit done” as he left the Conservative backbench MPs’ meeting. |
Here’s a little more detail from HuffPost UK: | Here’s a little more detail from HuffPost UK: |
PM leaving tells reporters as he leaves meeting: “It’s going to be a tough election but we will do the best we can.” Curious that he tries play down the Tories’ chance | PM leaving tells reporters as he leaves meeting: “It’s going to be a tough election but we will do the best we can.” Curious that he tries play down the Tories’ chance |
It is worth noting that Rees-Mogg has again declined to explicitly address whether or not the election of a new Commons speaker would go ahead before parliament is dissolved next Wednesday. | |
Asked about the matter for a second time in the Commons, he said he had nothing to add to his previous answer, which we summarised just a few moments ago. | Asked about the matter for a second time in the Commons, he said he had nothing to add to his previous answer, which we summarised just a few moments ago. |
The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has said: | The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has said: |
This election is a once-in-a-generation chance to transform our country and take on the vested interests holding people back. | This election is a once-in-a-generation chance to transform our country and take on the vested interests holding people back. |
The choice at this election could not be clearer: A Labour government will be on your side; while Boris Johnson’s Conservatives, who think they’re born to rule, will only look after the privileged few. | The choice at this election could not be clearer: A Labour government will be on your side; while Boris Johnson’s Conservatives, who think they’re born to rule, will only look after the privileged few. |
We will now launch the most ambitious and radical campaign for real change that our country has ever seen. This is our chance to build a country for the many not the few and fit for the next generation. | We will now launch the most ambitious and radical campaign for real change that our country has ever seen. This is our chance to build a country for the many not the few and fit for the next generation. |
Responding to the vote in parliament for a general election, the Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, has said: | |
This general election will decide the future of our country for generations. It is our best chance to elect a government to stop Brexit. | This general election will decide the future of our country for generations. It is our best chance to elect a government to stop Brexit. |
The Liberal Democrats are the strongest party of Remain and will be standing on a manifesto to stop Brexit by revoking article 50. | The Liberal Democrats are the strongest party of Remain and will be standing on a manifesto to stop Brexit by revoking article 50. |
This country deserves better than Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn and I am excited to take our positive, pro-European, liberal vision to the country as the Liberal Democrat candidate for prime minister. | This country deserves better than Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn and I am excited to take our positive, pro-European, liberal vision to the country as the Liberal Democrat candidate for prime minister. |
Boris Johnson received a rapturous reception as he arrived at a meeting of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee after his bid for an early general election cleared the Commons. Conservative MPs cheered and banged the table as he arrived for the meeting in parliament. | Boris Johnson received a rapturous reception as he arrived at a meeting of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee after his bid for an early general election cleared the Commons. Conservative MPs cheered and banged the table as he arrived for the meeting in parliament. |
Asked whether the Commons will be electing a new speaker before it dissolves, Rees-Mogg says the dissolution date is Wednesday, so the Commons may be sitting on Monday and Tuesday. | Asked whether the Commons will be electing a new speaker before it dissolves, Rees-Mogg says the dissolution date is Wednesday, so the Commons may be sitting on Monday and Tuesday. |
The leader of the Commons, Jacob-Rees-Mogg, says he’ll set out tomorrow how the government intends to proceed for the rest of the week. | The leader of the Commons, Jacob-Rees-Mogg, says he’ll set out tomorrow how the government intends to proceed for the rest of the week. |
Also tomorrow, he says, the prime minister will address the Commons on the Grenfell inquiry’s report and MPs will discuss the Northern Ireland budget bill. | Also tomorrow, he says, the prime minister will address the Commons on the Grenfell inquiry’s report and MPs will discuss the Northern Ireland budget bill. |