The United Kingdom’s Labour Party is backing a snap general election in the wake of the European Union approving another Brexit extension, all but confirming that voters will head to the polls before Christmas.
Jeremy Corbyn announced Tuesday that his party is prepared to join the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party in supporting a bill tabled by Boris Johnson’s government later in the day, a vote that will trigger an early poll.
“I have consistently said that we are ready for an election, and our support is subject to a no-deal Brexit being off the table,” he said. “We have now heard from the EU that the extension of Article 50 to Jan. 31 has been confirmed, so for the next three months, our condition of taking no-deal off the table has now been met. We will now launch the most ambitious and radical campaign for real change our country has ever seen.”
British lawmakers will still need to iron out details as the day goes on as Johnson’s government wants a Dec. 12 election, while opposition parties have their eyes set on Dec. 11.
Johnson’s government indicated after Corbyn’s announcement that it would accept a proposal for a Dec. 11 election if opposition parties table an amendment naming that the polling date. The prime minister plans to put his election bill up for vote in the House of Commons later on Tuesday after failing to secure an election via the Fixed Term Parliaments Act on Monday. Tuesday’s vote only needs a simple majority in the House to pass.
The possibility of a December election in the U.K. comes just after the EU approved its third Brexit extension this year after, giving British lawmakers a “flextension” until Jan. 31. Earlier this month, anti-Brexit forces blocked a vote on Johnson’s Brexit deal with the EU, ruling out a no-deal Brexit by the end of the month.
