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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". | 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. | 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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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 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 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. | 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. | But none of the parties can be remotely sure of what will happen next. |
| Read Laura's full blog. | Read Laura's full blog. |
| What has Labour said about an election? | What has Labour said about an election? |
| Mr Corbyn was cheered by members of his top team, as he made his announcement at Labour's campaign headquarters in central London. | 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. | 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." |
| However, not all Labour MPs are on board, with Ben Bradshaw saying it was a "bad mistake" and calling instead for another referendum on Brexit. | However, not all Labour MPs are on board, with Ben Bradshaw saying it was a "bad mistake" and calling instead for another referendum on Brexit. |
| His fellow backbench MP, Barry Sheerman, tweeted that it was "sheer madness" to hold a December election "on Boris Johnson's agenda". | His fellow backbench MP, Barry Sheerman, tweeted that it was "sheer madness" to hold a December election "on Boris Johnson's agenda". |
| What is the government's plan? | What is the government's plan? |
| Mr Johnson will later call on MPs to support a general election for the fourth time since he took office in July. | Mr Johnson will later call on MPs to support a general election for the fourth time since he took office in July. |
| The PM does not have a majority in Parliament after his decision in September to remove the party whip from more than 20 of his MPs who voted to block a no-deal Brexit, and some defections. | The PM does not have a majority in Parliament after his decision in September to remove the party whip from more than 20 of his MPs who voted to block a no-deal Brexit, and some defections. |
| He renewed his call for an election after MPs voted against passing his Brexit bill through Parliament in three days - something that would normally take much longer. | He renewed his call for an election after MPs voted against passing his Brexit bill through Parliament in three days - something that would normally take much longer. |
| The PM tabled a motion for an election under the Fixed-term Parliament Act on Monday, but under the law it needed the support of two-thirds of all 650 MPs to go through and it only got the backing of 299. | The PM tabled a motion for an election under the Fixed-term Parliament Act on Monday, but under the law it needed the support of two-thirds of all 650 MPs to go through and it only got the backing of 299. |
| After the vote, Mr Johnson said the "dysfunctional Parliament" was in "paralysis" over Brexit and needed to be replaced "so the country can move on". | After the vote, Mr Johnson said the "dysfunctional Parliament" was in "paralysis" over Brexit and needed to be replaced "so the country can move on". |
| The legislation the PM will propose on Tuesday requires a lower threshold for approval - a majority of one - but can be amended by those MPs wanting to add their own conditions to an election - such as a proposal to lower the voting age. | The legislation the PM will propose on Tuesday requires a lower threshold for approval - a majority of one - but can be amended by those MPs wanting to add their own conditions to an election - such as a proposal to lower the voting age. |
| Where do the other parties stand? | Where do the other parties stand? |
| The Lib Dems and the SNP want an election on 9 December because they say that will prevent any chance of Mr Johnson bringing back his Brexit bill and getting it approved before Parliament is dissolved. | The Lib Dems and the SNP want an election on 9 December because they say that will prevent any chance of Mr Johnson bringing back his Brexit bill and getting it approved before Parliament is dissolved. |
| Both parties want to fight the election on a platform of stopping Brexit entirely. | Both parties want to fight the election on a platform of stopping Brexit entirely. |
| Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said: "We need to see the path forward, and if it is not going to be through [another referendum], if there is not the support for [that] in this Parliament, then we need to look at the other way to do that, and right now that is through having a general election." | Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said: "We need to see the path forward, and if it is not going to be through [another referendum], if there is not the support for [that] in this Parliament, then we need to look at the other way to do that, and right now that is through having a general election." |
| But one of the party's latest recruits, Heidi Allen, has criticised the position and announced she will not stand in the next election. | But one of the party's latest recruits, Heidi Allen, has criticised the position and announced she will not stand in the next election. |
| In a letter to her constituents, she wrote: "Brexit has broken our politics and it is my firm belief that only a confirmatory public vote will bring an end to this sorry chapter." | In a letter to her constituents, she wrote: "Brexit has broken our politics and it is my firm belief that only a confirmatory public vote will bring an end to this sorry chapter." |
| Both The Independent Group for Change, which has five MPs, and Plaid Cymru, which has fourm have said they will vote against an election and instead continue to support a so-called "People's Vote" - or further referendum on Brexit. | |
| Some former Conservatives are also against an election too. | Some former Conservatives are also against an election too. |
| Former Chancellor Philip Hammond - who was expelled from the Conservative parliamentary Party after voting against a no-deal Brexit - said the idea of using "precious time" to hold an election, rather than passing the government's Brexit bill, "frankly appals me". | |
| Mr Hammond told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the real motivation for an election was to "change the shape of the Conservative Party" and to "get rid of a cohort of MPs that it regards as not robust enough" on Brexit. | Mr Hammond told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the real motivation for an election was to "change the shape of the Conservative Party" and to "get rid of a cohort of MPs that it regards as not robust enough" on Brexit. |
| It is not clear where the Democratic Unionist Party stand yet. | It is not clear where the Democratic Unionist Party stand yet. |
| The Brexit spokesman for the 10 MPs from Northern Ireland, Sammy Wilson, said his party did not fear a general election. But he said they would not vote for anything that could take Parliament closer to approving Mr Johnson's Brexit plan, which they oppose. | The Brexit spokesman for the 10 MPs from Northern Ireland, Sammy Wilson, said his party did not fear a general election. But he said they would not vote for anything that could take Parliament closer to approving Mr Johnson's Brexit plan, which they oppose. |
| When will we know if there will be an election? | When will we know if there will be an election? |
| MPs will begin to debate the bill for an early election shortly. | |
| The government is aiming to complete all of its Commons stages by the end of the day - a process that normally takes several days. | The government is aiming to complete all of its Commons stages by the end of the day - a process that normally takes several days. |
| A vote on the second reading of the bill is expected after 1730 GMT - this is the first Commons hurdle - and that will be followed later by a third reading vote. | A vote on the second reading of the bill is expected after 1730 GMT - this is the first Commons hurdle - and that will be followed later by a third reading vote. |
| If MPs back that, then there is almost certain to be a pre-Christmas election, although the legislation will still have to clear the House of Lords. | If MPs back that, then there is almost certain to be a pre-Christmas election, although the legislation will still have to clear the House of Lords. |