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| Parties gear up for 12 December election battle | Parties gear up for 12 December election battle |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Political parties are readying themselves for a general election campaign after MPs voted for a 12 December poll. | Political parties are readying themselves for a general election campaign after MPs voted for a 12 December poll. |
| The legislation approved by MPs on Tuesday will later begin its passage through the House of Lords, where it is not expected to be opposed. | The legislation approved by MPs on Tuesday will later begin its passage through the House of Lords, where it is not expected to be opposed. |
| Boris Johnson says he is ready to fight a "tough" general election. | Boris Johnson says he is ready to fight a "tough" general election. |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the snap poll was a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity to transform the country. | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the snap poll was a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity to transform the country. |
| Writing in the Daily Mirror, he said: "We're launching the most ambitious and radical campaign for real change that our country has ever seen." | Writing in the Daily Mirror, he said: "We're launching the most ambitious and radical campaign for real change that our country has ever seen." |
| But Mr Johnson hopes the vote will give him a fresh mandate for his deal to leave the EU and break the current deadlock in Parliament. | But Mr Johnson hopes the vote will give him a fresh mandate for his deal to leave the EU and break the current deadlock in Parliament. |
| He told Conservative MPs it was time for the country to "come together to get Brexit done", adding: "It'll be a tough election and we are going to do the best we can." | He told Conservative MPs it was time for the country to "come together to get Brexit done", adding: "It'll be a tough election and we are going to do the best we can." |
| The poll comes after the EU extended the UK's exit deadline to 31 January 2020 - although Brexit can happen earlier if a deal is agreed by MPs. | The poll comes after the EU extended the UK's exit deadline to 31 January 2020 - although Brexit can happen earlier if a deal is agreed by MPs. |
| Mr Corbyn and Mr Johnson are facing each other at Prime Minister's Questions - likely to be the final clash before Parliament is dissolved for the election. | |
| What happens next? | What happens next? |
| The legislation approved by MPs now must be rubberstamped by the House of Lords. | The legislation approved by MPs now must be rubberstamped by the House of Lords. |
| It would be pretty strange if unelected peers up the corridor from the green benches decided to say no or throw spanners in the works of a decision made by the House of Commons last night. | It would be pretty strange if unelected peers up the corridor from the green benches decided to say no or throw spanners in the works of a decision made by the House of Commons last night. |
| Unless something very strange happens, we are now on for an election. | Unless something very strange happens, we are now on for an election. |
| Both sides are very, very nervous about what might unfold. And both sides are right to be nervous. | Both sides are very, very nervous about what might unfold. And both sides are right to be nervous. |
| The two main party leaders, in a strange kind of mirror of each other, are happy campaigners, but divisive characters. | The two main party leaders, in a strange kind of mirror of each other, are happy campaigners, but divisive characters. |
| Both of them will try to set the agenda, but they can't know where this will all take us. | Both of them will try to set the agenda, but they can't know where this will all take us. |
| They can't know if it will be their issues they're able to talk about at length, but that's the glory of elections - it's up to voters to set the terms. | They can't know if it will be their issues they're able to talk about at length, but that's the glory of elections - it's up to voters to set the terms. |
| They decide the things they care about, they are interested in and they will put politicians on the spot about. | They decide the things they care about, they are interested in and they will put politicians on the spot about. |
| Opening skirmishes | Opening skirmishes |
| Labour's Shadow chancellor John McDonnell, said the election wouldn't just be about Brexit - telling BBC Breakfast: "It will be about what has happened over the last nine years of austerity and our public services." | Labour's Shadow chancellor John McDonnell, said the election wouldn't just be about Brexit - telling BBC Breakfast: "It will be about what has happened over the last nine years of austerity and our public services." |
| "We want to give people hope again about the future," he said. | "We want to give people hope again about the future," he said. |
| Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was "certainly not yearning for general election", but he believed it was "the only way to move the country forward". | Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was "certainly not yearning for general election", but he believed it was "the only way to move the country forward". |
| He said the Conservatives would be offering a "centrist agenda" to voters - and his party would be running a more "optimistic" campaign than their widely-criticised 2017 effort, which led to Theresa May losing her majority. | He said the Conservatives would be offering a "centrist agenda" to voters - and his party would be running a more "optimistic" campaign than their widely-criticised 2017 effort, which led to Theresa May losing her majority. |
| Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson said the poll was "our best chance to elect a government to stop Brexit". | Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson said the poll was "our best chance to elect a government to stop Brexit". |
| For the Scottish National Party, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said an election was an opportunity for the country to hold another independence referendum. | For the Scottish National Party, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said an election was an opportunity for the country to hold another independence referendum. |
| "A win for the SNP will be an unequivocal and irresistible demand for Scotland's right to choose our own future," she said. | "A win for the SNP will be an unequivocal and irresistible demand for Scotland's right to choose our own future," she said. |
| But the Scottish Conservatives claimed voting for their party would keep Scotland in the UK. | But the Scottish Conservatives claimed voting for their party would keep Scotland in the UK. |
| Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage welcomed the election, tweeting the deadlock had been "broken" and "Brexit now has a chance to succeed". | Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage welcomed the election, tweeting the deadlock had been "broken" and "Brexit now has a chance to succeed". |
| Electoral pacts and coalitions | Electoral pacts and coalitions |
| The smaller parties are already talking about striking deals with each other, which could see candidates standing aside in areas where their Remain-supporting rivals have a better chance of winning. | The smaller parties are already talking about striking deals with each other, which could see candidates standing aside in areas where their Remain-supporting rivals have a better chance of winning. |
| Deputy Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said the party was in discussions with Plaid Cyrmu and the Green Party "to see if we can work with them". | Deputy Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said the party was in discussions with Plaid Cyrmu and the Green Party "to see if we can work with them". |
| Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley told BBC Breakfast it was "no secret" that the Greens were "talking to the Lib Dems and Plaid" but "nothing has been finalised". | Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley told BBC Breakfast it was "no secret" that the Greens were "talking to the Lib Dems and Plaid" but "nothing has been finalised". |
| He said a "temporary electoral arrangement to stand aside for one another" would help elect "a big block of MPs that aren't from the two main parties". | He said a "temporary electoral arrangement to stand aside for one another" would help elect "a big block of MPs that aren't from the two main parties". |
| "That idea of getting a big block of MPs in Parliament who want a people's vote, want to remain in the EU because they think it's best for the UK to do that, has widespread appeal." | "That idea of getting a big block of MPs in Parliament who want a people's vote, want to remain in the EU because they think it's best for the UK to do that, has widespread appeal." |
| The party leaders are also facing questions about whether they would form a coalition, if the election resulted in another hung Parliament. | The party leaders are also facing questions about whether they would form a coalition, if the election resulted in another hung Parliament. |
| Asked if she would form a coalition government with Labour or the Conservatives, Jo Swinson said: "I can't be clearer - neither Boris Johnson nor Jeremy Corbyn is fit to be prime minister." | Asked if she would form a coalition government with Labour or the Conservatives, Jo Swinson said: "I can't be clearer - neither Boris Johnson nor Jeremy Corbyn is fit to be prime minister." |
| Labour's John McDonnell told BBC Breakfast: "There will be no deals, no coalition. We will go in as a majority government. If we don't win an overall majority, we will have a minority government." | Labour's John McDonnell told BBC Breakfast: "There will be no deals, no coalition. We will go in as a majority government. If we don't win an overall majority, we will have a minority government." |