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SNP MP plays down Tory election majority chances SNP MP plays down Tory election majority chances
(about 3 hours later)
A senior SNP MP has insisted that a December general election will not necessarily result in the Conservatives winning a majority of the seats.A senior SNP MP has insisted that a December general election will not necessarily result in the Conservatives winning a majority of the seats.
Ian Blackford, the party's Westminster leader, said the SNP would beat the Tories in Scotland.Ian Blackford, the party's Westminster leader, said the SNP would beat the Tories in Scotland.
And he said it was up to Labour and the other UK parties to do the same in England and Wales.And he said it was up to Labour and the other UK parties to do the same in England and Wales.
Mr Blackford was speaking ahead of the prime minister asking MPs to approve a 12 December election. Mr Blackford's comments came before MPs voted in favour of a 12 December election.
The one-page bill will need the support of only a simple majority of MPs in the House of Commons, rather than the two thirds majority required under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act. By a margin of 438 votes to 20, the Commons approved legislation paving the way for the first December election since 1923.
Downing Street sources said they would accept an election on 11 December if it was needed to win the support of opposition parties. The one-page bill needed the support of only a simple majority of MPs in the House of Commons, rather than the two thirds majority required under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has already confirmed his party will back an election on 9 December election despite several opinion polls suggesting his party currently trails the Conservatives. Ahead of the vote, Downing Street sources said they would accept an election on 11 December if it was needed to win the support of opposition parties.
The SNP and Liberal Democrats have also been calling for a 9 December election, which they say would prevent the prime minister from pushing his Brexit plan through Parliament ahead of the vote. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn confirmed his party would back an election on 9 December election despite several opinion polls suggesting his party currently trails the Conservatives.
The SNP and Liberal Democrats also called for a 9 December election, which they said would prevent the prime minister from pushing his Brexit plan through Parliament ahead of the vote.
However, Labour's amendment to hold an election on 9 December was rejected and MPs voted to back the government's original bill - for an election on 12 December.
There is some unease in both parties over holding an election in December, with SNP MP Angus MacNeil, warning on Monday that it could hand Boris Johnson a majority and give him the power to block any request to hold a second Scottish independence referendum.There is some unease in both parties over holding an election in December, with SNP MP Angus MacNeil, warning on Monday that it could hand Boris Johnson a majority and give him the power to block any request to hold a second Scottish independence referendum.
This would be like handing Mr Johnson his birthday and Christmas present at the same time, Mr MacNeil claimed.This would be like handing Mr Johnson his birthday and Christmas present at the same time, Mr MacNeil claimed.
But speaking to the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme on Tuesday, Mr Blackford said he did not accept his colleague's view that a general election was likely to hand Mr Johnson the keys to Downing Street for another five years, and open the possibility of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.But speaking to the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme on Tuesday, Mr Blackford said he did not accept his colleague's view that a general election was likely to hand Mr Johnson the keys to Downing Street for another five years, and open the possibility of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Mr Blackford said the SNP "want to see Boris Johnson defeated and out of Number 10", and that an election would allow opposition parties to show that "what the prime minister wants to do is damaging, economically, socially and culturally".Mr Blackford said the SNP "want to see Boris Johnson defeated and out of Number 10", and that an election would allow opposition parties to show that "what the prime minister wants to do is damaging, economically, socially and culturally".
He added: "It is up to the Labour Party and others in England and Wales to do their job in defeating the Conservatives. We will do that in Scotland.He added: "It is up to the Labour Party and others in England and Wales to do their job in defeating the Conservatives. We will do that in Scotland.
"But the simple fact remains that we cannot sit back and allow this prime minister to take us out of Europe."But the simple fact remains that we cannot sit back and allow this prime minister to take us out of Europe.
"In Scotland, we have got that alternative if the UK is determined to do that - we have got that insurance policy of being able to have a referendum on independence and making sure that we stay in Europe.""In Scotland, we have got that alternative if the UK is determined to do that - we have got that insurance policy of being able to have a referendum on independence and making sure that we stay in Europe."
Mr Blackford argued last week that it would be "barking mad" to ask people to vote in December, when his own Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency will have very few hours of daylight.Mr Blackford argued last week that it would be "barking mad" to ask people to vote in December, when his own Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency will have very few hours of daylight.
But he predicted on Tuesday that people will still come out to vote, and that "we are going to have to accept our responsibilities" because "we have to resolve the situation".But he predicted on Tuesday that people will still come out to vote, and that "we are going to have to accept our responsibilities" because "we have to resolve the situation".
Mr Johnson's three previous attempts to secure an early election have failed, with the vast majority of MPs from Labour abstaining in the most recent vote on Monday, alongside those from the SNP and the Democratic Unionist Party from Northern Ireland. All but one MP from the Liberal Democrats voted against it. Mr Johnson's three previous attempts to secure an early election failed, with the vast majority of MPs from Labour abstaining in the most recent vote on Monday, alongside those from the SNP and the Democratic Unionist Party from Northern Ireland. All but one MP from the Liberal Democrats voted against it.
The prime minister's latest attempt to hold an early election comes after EU leaders accepted the UK's request to extend the Brexit deadline to 31 January - but the UK can leave earlier if a deal is agreed by Parliament. The prime minister's latest - and successful - attempt to hold an early election came after EU leaders accepted the UK's request to extend the Brexit deadline to 31 January - but the UK can leave earlier if a deal is agreed by Parliament.
Mr Corbyn told his shadow cabinet that this meant Labour could now back an early election as "our condition of taking no-deal off the table has now been met" for the next three months.Mr Corbyn told his shadow cabinet that this meant Labour could now back an early election as "our condition of taking no-deal off the table has now been met" for the next three months.
What is the government's plan?What is the government's plan?
Mr Johnson will call on MPs to support a general election for the fourth time since he took office in July. Mr Johnson called on MPs to support a general election for the fourth time since he took office in July.
The bill is still to be approved by the Lords but could become law by the end of the week - if that happens, there will be a five-week campaign up to polling day.
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 proposed on Tuesday requires a lower threshold for approval - a majority of one - but could have been amended by those MPs wanting to add their own conditions to an election.
Having rejected Labour's amendment to hold an election on 9 December, MPs voted to back the government's original bill - for an election on 12 December.
Mr Johnson hopes the election will give him a fresh mandate for his Brexit deal and break the current parliamentary deadlock, which has led to the UK's exit being further delayed to 31 January.
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