UK opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has given his backing to an early general election in December — a move that could end the Brexit deadlock.
“I have consistently said that we are ready for an election and our support is subject to no-deal Brexit being off the table,” the Labour leader said in a statement.
“We have now heard from the EU that the extension of article 50 to 31st January has been confirmed, so for the next three months, our condition of taking no deal off the table has now been met.”
Parliament is to vote again on an early election, following three previous failed attempts by the government to go to the country to seek a new mandate.
The EU agreed on Monday to a UK request to delay Brexit, beyond this week’s Halloween deadline to January 31, 2020.
Boris Johnson’s government agreed a revised divorce deal with the EU earlier this month, but suspended the parliamentary bill to implement it after lawmakers opposed the planned fast-track timetable.
The ruling Conservatives have no parliamentary majority, and parties are bitterly divided over a way forward.
Election debate brings battle to amend the bill
The House of Commons is debating a bill on Tuesday which as tabled, would bring an election on December 12. It needs a simple majority – but leaves open the possibility for MPs to attach amendments.
An attempt by the government to restrict such amendments has been defeated by 17 votes, following anger at the move among opposition lawmakers.
Various amendments have been put forward, although they are not certain to be put to a vote. They include moves to change the election date to December 9, and to extend the right to vote to EU nationals living in the UK, and to 16 and 17-year-olds.
Labour’s U–turn
Jeremy Corbyn told his top team of policy advisers on Tuesday the party’s condition for supporting a new election had been met and “we will now launch the most ambitious and radical” election campaign.
Later, he appeared with his team of shadow ministers, saying: “We’re going to go out there with the biggest campaign this party has ever mounted.”
He said Labour would “give a message of hope where there isn’t one with this government.”
On Monday, Boris Johnson failed to get the two-thirds majority in parliament he needed to secure an election under existing laws, after opposition parties largely abstained.
He says an election is necessary to end the deadlock over Brexit, which was supposed to have happened on Thursday.
What the bookmakers say
The Conservative Party have an 85.7% predicted chance of winning the most seats at the next general election, following Jeremy Corbyn’s comments this morning.
Bookmakers have priced up the Tories as strong favourites at 1/6, with odds on Labour winning the most seats drifting out to 7/1.
That’s an implied probability of just 12.5% that Corbyn’s party triumph from a potential early general election.
Elsewhere, the Liberal Democrats have been pushed out to 30/1 in the same market, with the Brexit Party also drifting out to 40/1.
Oddschecker spokesperson Callum Wilson said Corbyn’s comments this morning “have resulted in a huge amount of interest in the ‘most seats’ market, with the Tories currently running out comfortable winners.”
