Boris begins election ‘plan b’ & vows mps cannot keep country hostage

BORIS JOHNSON RESPONDS TO GENERAL ELECTION VOTE RESULT Immediately after the vote, Mr Johnson announced he would try again using legislation that will only require a simple majority to give

the go-ahead to the poll. He said: “This House cannot any longer keep this country hostage. Millions of families and businesses cannot play for the future. I don’t believe this paralysis and

this stagnation should be allowed to continue. Now that no deal is off the table we have a great new deal. It’s time for voters to have a chance to pronounce on that deal and to replace

this Parliament with a new Parliament that can get Brexit done so the country can move on.” RELATED ARTICLES Last night MPs voted by 299 to 70 in favour of the December 12 poll but this fell

short of the two-thirds majority of all MPs required under the terms of the Fixed-Term Parliament Act. Speaking after the vote, the Prime Minister accused Jeremy Corbyn of fleeing an

election. Most Labour MPs abstained in yesterday’s vote under his orders. “The Leader of the Opposition has literally and figuratively run away from the judgment of the people for the third

time. “He’s turned down our offer to get Brexit done. I think frankly the electorate will find his behaviour utterly bewildering”, he said. Boris Johnson will attempt to force an election

today (Image: Getty) Jeremy Corbyn ordered his MPs to abstain (Image: Getty) “We will not allow this paralysis to continue and one way or another we must proceed straight to an election.” Mr

Johnson is now also facing another huge challenge after squabbling broke out over the exact timing of polling day. Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson, who had offered to order her MPs to back an

election on December 9, refused to allow one just three days later. Boris Johnson wants to go to the country on Deceber 12 (Image: Getty) Sources said December 9 would not leave the PM any

time to reintroduce his Brexit deal into the Commons before it was dissolved for the election. The Lib Dems claimed he could not be trusted. They fear he could force another vote on the

deal, raising the possibility of a hard Brexit if December 12 was the election date. Miss Swinson said: “The Prime Minister has lost another vote in Parliament. This latest attempt to force

his bad Brexit Bill through Parliament has failed because this Parliament simply does not trust him. Boris Johnson claims he wants a general election but he also claimed he wouldn’t prorogue

Parliament or put a border down the Irish Sea. Last night’s vote came after Mr Johnson finally gave up on taking the country out of the EU on October 31. EU chiefs formally offered his

Government a Brexit delay until January 31 with options to leave earlier if a deal can be passed by Parliament. Mr Johnson announced the Government would today propose a simple one-line

parliamentary Bill to hold a general election on December 12. Downing Street sources insisted today’s legislation would be virtually identical to a proposal from the Lib Dems and SNP, with

the date the only difference. Mr Johnson would not push ahead with his Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the Commons before the election. One Government source said: “The Bill is very similar to

the Lib Dem/SNP Bill. The Withdrawal Agreement Bill will not be put back. This is the way to get Brexit done so the country can move on.” Under the plan, the Queen would dissolve Parliament

on Friday to allow the 25 working days needed under the law for a general election to take place. Mr Corbyn last night said he would examine the new election timetable but hinted he could

again oppose the move. He said: “I understand a Bill will be tabled tomorrow, we will obviously look and scrutinise that Bill. “And we look forward to a clear, definitive decision that No

Deal is absolutely off the table and there is no danger of this Prime Minister not sticking to his word. Because he has some form on these matters and taking this country out of the EU

without any deal whatsoever, knowing the damage it will do to jobs and industries.” During yesterday’s debate on the election proposal, Tory MPs mocked Labour as “chickens” for dodging the

poll. Backbencher Robert Halfon asked the PM: “In his preparations for a No-deal Brexit, can he make sure there’s plenty of corn feed for the election chickens on the opposite benches?”

Labour MP Andy McDonald indicated his party was likely again to oppose the proposal today. He said: “I think it’s very unwise to be having a general election in the run-up to Christmas.” Ian

Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said his party would only back an election with a “cast-iron guarantee” that the Prime Minister would not try to bring back his deal to Parliament

before polling day. Mr Blackford said: “It is clear that there is a desire on the Opposition benches to bring forward a Bill that can give us an election. But we don’t trust this Prime

Minister – and we don’t trust this Prime Minister for good reason. “So the Prime Minister, if he is going to bring forward a Bill, must give an absolute cast-iron assurance that up until the

passage of that Bill and the rising of Parliament, that there will be no attempt to bring forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill.”