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Labour to back early general election | Labour to back early general election |
(32 minutes later) | |
The UK looks set for a December general election after Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn announced his party was ready to fight the "most radical campaign ever". | |
Mr Corbyn said his condition of taking a no-deal Brexit off the table had now been met after the EU agreed to extend the deadline until 31 January 2020. | |
Prime Minister Boris Johnson can only hold an election with the support of MPs - who have blocked it three times. | |
The PM will make a fresh attempt to get their backing in Parliament later. | |
The government bill published ahead of the Commons debate is for an early election on 12 December. | The government bill published ahead of the Commons debate is for an early election on 12 December. |
But the Scottish National Party and Liberal Democrats want a 9 December poll, saying it would prevent the prime minister from pushing his Brexit deal through Parliament. | |
No 10 sources have told the BBC they would accept 11 December to get opposition parties on-board - and they have agreed to put Brexit legislation on hold, for now. | |
Labour's Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon said Labour wanted Mr Johnson "out before Christmas", but did not confirm his party's preferred poll date. | |
Mr Corbyn was cheered by members of his top team, as he made his announcement at Labour's campaign headquarters in central London. | |
He said: "I have consistently said that we are ready for an election and our support is subject to a no-deal Brexit being off the table. | |
"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. | "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. |
"We will now launch the most ambitious and radical campaign for real change our country has ever seen." | "We will now launch the most ambitious and radical campaign for real change our country has ever seen." |
Mr Burgon said Labour would be pushing to get votes for 16 and 17-year-olds, as well as EU nationals so they can have their say. | Mr Burgon said Labour would be pushing to get votes for 16 and 17-year-olds, as well as EU nationals so they can have their say. |
But he added: "Even if we don't get those things we want, when push comes to shove, we are going to support an election." | But he added: "Even if we don't get those things we want, when push comes to shove, we are going to support an election." |
Commons votes | |
Mr Johnson will later call on Parliament to support a general election for the fourth time since he took office in July. | |
The first three times he put forward a motion under the Fixed-term Parliament Act, which needs the support of two-thirds of all 650 MPs to pass, but cannot be amended by those wanting to add their own conditions to an election. | |
This time - at around 13:30 GMT - Mr Johnson and his government will put forward a short bill calling for an election on 12 December and try to pass it through all its Commons' stages in one day. | |
It will only need a majority of one to win, but unlike his other attempts, MPs could table amendments - such as a proposal to lower the voting age. | |
Labour has, against the wishes of many of its MPs, shifted to supporting a December election and with that, it means we are on for the first December general election in decades. | |
The prime minister hopes this will give him a victory at the polls that would allow him rapidly to get his Brexit deal through Parliament and the UK out of the EU. | |
The Labour leader hopes for a souped-up version of his move forward at the 2017 election that would mean, contrary to the view of many of his own MPs, his project can continue and build. | |
The Lib Dems and SNP hope for a chance to stop Brexit happening, and expand their own political positions at a junction for the country. | |
But none of the parties can be remotely sure of what will happen next. | |
Read Laura's full blog. |