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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Nicola Bartlett

Applications to vote soar as Theresa May hints at a general election

The number of applications to vote has soared as Parliament became mired in Brexit chaos and Theresa May hinted at a general election.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly insisted that a general election was not in the national interest but today she said that we are "reaching the limits of this process in this House".

The numbers registering to vote online began climbing in the last few weeks.

Starting in January the numbers registering has been on the rise.

But from the 17 March it shot up from around 8,000 registering to around 20,000 on 29 March.

The number registering on paper has stayed relatively flat between 4 - 5,000.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for a general election unless the Prime Minister was willing to find an alternative deal. 

Mr Corbyn told MPs: "The House has been clear this deal now has to change, there has to be an alternative found.

Theresa May lost her deal again (AFP/Getty Images)

"And if the Prime Minister can't accept that then she must go - not at an indeterminate date in the future but now, so that we can decide the future of this country through a general election."

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: "I think there has to be a general election.

"The Government's proposition is absolutely dead. The Prime Minister has absolutely no credibility.

"We should put this back to the people."

Number 10 sources refused to rule out a general election but talked it down saying it was "not in the national interest".

Mrs May's withdrawal deal was defeated for a third time today by 58 votes.

She said the defeat of her deal today "should be a matter of profound regret to all members of this House".

Brexit: Theresa May's deal DEFEATED by MPs plunging UK into deepest chaos yet

Despite losing for a third time she indicated that she did not believe her deal is dead, saying: "This Government will continue to press the case for the orderly Brexit that the result of the referendum demands. "

The Prime Minister said the implications of the vote were "grave" adding: "I fear we are reaching the limits of the process in this House."

Theresa May has lost again (PA)

Brexit: What happens now after MPs defeat Theresa May's deal for a THIRD time?  

Earlier this week MPs failed to agree on a single way forward after they held a series of "indicative votes".

But there were signs that a consensus could be found in the coming days due to the narrow margin of loss for several of the options.

A confirmatory referendum got the most support - losing by just 27 votes,  and a customs union lost by just 8.

If the options are whittled down and enough MPs could be convinced then there is a chance of a majority for one of the options.

Mrs May acknowledged the ongoing process in her statement but repeated the fact that the Withdrawal Agreement still needs to pass for any "soft Brexit" option.

Mrs May said that the UK would have to find "an alternative way forward".

This was "almost certain" to involve the UK having to stage elections to the European Parliament in May, she said.

Brexit: Theresa May's deal DEFEATED by MPs plunging UK into deepest chaos yet

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