Boris Johnson To Try To Force Through General Election Again Today

29 October 2019, 07:46 | Updated: 29 October 2019, 07:52

Boris Johnson will make a fourth attempt later to force a snap general election following his defeat yesterday.

A short bill calling for a 12th December poll would require the support of a simple majority of MPs, rather than the two-thirds needed under the Fixed Term Parliament Act.

The Government has confirmed the legislation to implement the Brexit deal won't be brought back in an effort to win over the Lib Dems and the SNP.

Following last night's defeat, Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg said the one-line Early Parliamentary General Election Bill would be pushed through the Commons today.

If the Lib Dems and SNP do back the bill, it will get through and we'll have a General Election two weeks before Christmas.

However, the bill is amendable by MPs, meaning that other parties could attempt to make changes, including moving the date forward to 9th December - before students go home for Christmas.

They could also push to get the vote for 16- and 17-year-olds and EU citizens living in the UK.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is not happy with a December election, telling the House of Commons: "The 12th of December election is less than a fortnight before Christmas, nine days before the shortest day of the year.

"The House must consider that in parts of this country, it will be dark before 4pm.

"Many students will have just finished their term and gone home for Christmas. People having the right to vote is what an election is all about and they risk being disenfranchised."

The votes in the House of Commons will take place this evening - and then we will know if we are going back to the polls.