Boris Johnson is set to secure a 12 December general election after MPs passed a bill to trigger a pre-Christmas poll.
The prime minister had earlier avoided a potential obstacle when the House of Commons deputy speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, refused to allow votes on Labour amendments calling for the vote to be given to EU citizens and 16- and 17-year olds.
The government had said it would pull the bill if either of the amendments passed.
MPs also voted by 315 to 295 to reject an amendment tabled by Jeremy Corbyn to change the date of the election to 9 December, three days earlier than ministers wanted.
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PM set to ask MPs for election for fourth time
Boris Johnson is expected to make yet another attempt to get the general election he so wants today, having failed on Monday to get the two-thirds majority he needed under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act (FTPA).
The prime minister’s fourth effort to go to the polls will see government put forward a one-line bill “almost identical” – to use a No 10 official’s phrase – to the one proposed by the Lib Dems and SNP.
The crucial difference is the date, with Johnson sticking to his desired 12 December date despite the opposition parties’ insistence on 9 December.
Remember, with the one-line bill to bypass the FTPA, Johnson only needs a simple majority to succeed.
All the details here.
Boris Johnson announces government will push legislation to allow general election in December
Plan announced after prime minister falls short for third time of two-thirds majority requiredSpecial Brexit coins will be destroyed
If you missed the big admission last night, the Treasury revealed that thousands of 50p commemorative coins emblazoned with 31 October – the date the UK was supposed to leave the EU – will be scrapped, shredded and melted down.
Limited edition Brexit 50p coins to be shredded and melted down after Boris Johnson misses 31 October deadline
Treasury to produce new coins that will enter circulation 'after we have left'Chuka Umunna hints at Lib Dem election date compromise
Lib Dem MP Chuka Umunna has said his party is against holding an election on Boris Johnson’s preferred polling date of December 12.
“It cannot be the 12th,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “If you have the 12th, it presents an opportunity for the government to try and get their Withdrawal Agreement Bill through. We know that they have a record of going back on their promises and breaking the law, so we cannot trust them on that.”
However, Umunna signalled the Lib Dems could be flexible over their own preferred election date of December 9.
He said: “We will see what else they come forward with. We have got to break the gridlock.
Umunna said the party would now consider an election date “earlier in the week” – hinting that 10 or 11 December would be acceptable.
Philip Hammond claims government is now ‘blocking Brexit’
Former Tory chancellor Philip Hammond, who lost the party whip over his Brexit stance, told the Today programme: “I fear that the real narrative here is that the Vote Leave activists, the cohort that has seized control in Downing Street, and to some extent in the headquarters of the Conservative party, wants this general election to change the shape of the Conservative party in parliament.
“To get rid of a cohort of MPs that it regards as not robust enough on this issue and to replace them with hardliners.”
Referring to the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, Hammond said: “Last Tuesday parliament signalled very clearly that it was willing to progress this bill.
“It is the government that has blocked it. And the government should now stop blocking Brexit, allow parliament to get on with the Brexit Bill and deliver Brexit by the end of November.
“The idea that now we would use our precious time to halt all of this process for five or six weeks and go out and have a general election frankly appals me.
“I think the government is trying to create a narrative that parliament is blocking Brexit and therefore we need an election. But, that is simply untrue.”
Former civil service chief says winter poll ‘not a good idea’
The former head of the civil service Sir Bob Kerslake – currently advising the Labour party – says winter elections “are not a good idea”.
He said: “They’re not good for the people campaigning. They’re not good for the voters. There’s a reason why we hold elections in May and we should hold onto that.”
Labour frontbencher says winter election ‘a distraction’
Could Labour still end up backing a pre-Christmas poll? Labour MP Barry Gardiner, the shadow international trade secretary, is the first of the party’s big-hitters to discuss the idea of an election today.
“This is a distraction,” he said. “Boris Johnson promised he would leave on 31 October – deal or no deal dire in a ditch and all the rest of it – and then when he realised he couldn’t do that he made the issue over a general election and the timing of a general election.”
Earlier, on the Today programme, Gardiner was asked what it would take to get Labour to back an election: “The first thing, I think, would be to ensure that students are not going to be disenfranchised by the date of the election.”
Pressed on whether December 9 would be more acceptable than December 12, Gardiner said: “It certainly would.”
Fury at Lib Dems for going for election before Final Say vote
Plenty of second Brexit referendum backers have expressed their anger at the Liberal Democrats for the party’s new strategy of backing a pre-Christmas general election.
MP Chuka Umunna said the party wants a 9 December poll, but also suggested the Lib Dems would consider an election date “earlier in the week” – hinting that 10 or 11 December would be acceptable.
Labour MP Ben Bradshaw, a keen supporter of a Final Say public vote, challenged Umunna on Twitter: “How do you know more about potential Labour/Tory MP backers for a Final Say People’s Vote in this Parliament than we & Tory MPs do?”
Fellow Labour MP Steve Reed also dismissed Umunna’s call to put aside the idea of a People’s Vote until a general election is held.
SNP’s Westminster leader says he will ‘wait and see’ on 12 December election bill
Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, has said he does not accept that a general election could return a Conservative majority and a no-deal Brexit.
Speaking on BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland radio programme, he said: “I don’t accept that … It’s 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 is that we cannot sit back and allow this Prime Minister take us out of Europe.
He added: “We want to see Boris Johnson defeated and out of Number 10.”
Johnson is expected to ask MPs to vote for an early general election for the fourth time, in a vote on the Commons on Tuesday for a December 12 ballot.
The SNP and Lib Dems support an election on December 9, believing it could prevent the Withdrawal Agreement Bill being passed.
Blackford would not reveal how the party planned to vote for on December 12 election, saying he would “wait and see what’s in the bill”.
No 10 ready to compromise to agree 11 December election?
According to the Politics Home website’s editor Kevin Schofield, the government would be willing to offer a compromise with the Lib Dems and SNP and agree an election on Wednesday, 11 December. But will they accept? And what would Labour do?
Pre-Christmas election moves one step closer
We’ve moved another significant step closer to that winter general election after the Lib Dems said they would be willing to compromise with Boris Johnson over the date.
MP Chuka Umunna has said the party would now consider an election date “earlier in the week” after Boris Johnson proposed 12 December.
And a No 10 official has said the government could accept an amendment to its bill for a general election on 11 December instead.
Our deputy political editor has the details.
Boris Johnson's pre-Christmas election moves closer as Lib Dems set to compromise over date
Chuka Umunna rules out 12 December poll but drops insistence on 9 December – hinting that a day in between would be acceptablePeople’s Vote campaign row rumbles on
Staff at the People’s Vote for a second referendum have told its chairman it is “utterly absurd” that he has started a row about how the campaign is run.
In a letter sent on Monday night, 40 members of staff told Roland Rudd that his behaviour over recent weeks has been “extremely disappointing and deeply counter-productive”.
Staff said the head of communications Tom Baldwin and director James McGrory have their “full and continuing support”, hailing the pair as “crucial” to the success of the campaign.
They wrote in the letter to Rudd: “It is utterly absurd that at this critical time for our country, you have started an argument about how our campaign is run.
“We do not want a public argument, we simply want to get back to work, delivering the People’s Vote that our country so desperately needs … This campaign has always been about trusting the people, if you want us to succeed, you must trust us now.”
Staff said they were promised a meeting at the Milbank office this morning that has yet to happen.
Margaret Hodge re-selected by local Labour party
Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge was re-selected by her local Labour Party to run for the seat of Barking last night.
A fierce critic of the party leader’s, Dame Margaret had called Jeremy Corbyn an “antisemite” and “racist”. Activists in Barking had forced a vote to be given the choice of selecting a new candidate.
Government sends out 12 December election bill
The government has sent its short bill to bypass the Fixed Term Parliaments Act out to Conservative MPs. A No 10 source earlier indicated that the government could accept an amendment to its bill for a general election on 11 December instead.
Labour ready to back pre-Christmas election?
Are we off to the races at last? The BBC’s Iain Watson says the Labour leadership has decided to go for it, following a shadow cabinet meeting this morning. But will reluctant Labour MPs play ball?
BREAKING: Jeremy Corbyn backs December general election
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is set to back an early general election after telling his shadow cabinet that the party’s condition of taking a no-deal Brexit “off the table” has been met.
Labour ready to back Boris Johnson's snap general election, Jeremy Corbyn says
Labour is now ready to back a general election in December, Jeremy Corbyn has said.Labour whips will make sure MPs back December vote
It looks like Labour want to get the election agreed today. According to Sky News’ Lewis Goodall, there’s a three-line whip to make sure MPs back the December vote, regardless of whether it’s a 9 December, 11 December or 12 December poll.
Momentum says election ‘opportunity of a lifetime’
The Labour campaign group Momentum has responded to the big news.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime to put an end to the shambolic mess the Tories have made and return hope to millions.”
Labour will push to get 16 year-olds and EU nationals the vote
We’re not yet at the set-in-stone stage for the pre-Christmas general election. Labour is understood to back a change to the proposed date which, if such an amendment is selected by the Speaker, could be backed by the Lib Dems and the SNP.
Labour is also expected to support amendments to the bill – giving 16 year-olds and EU nationals getting the vote. While they aren’t expected to be red lines, it could put the Lib Dems and the SNP in an awkward position if they vote against them.
Labour’s mayor of London Sadiq Khan said that “if there is to be a general election first, then those whose future is most affected must be given a say - including 16 and 17 year olds and EU citizens living in the UK.”
Jeremy Corbyn: ‘It’s time’
