Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called an emergency meeting of his cabinet ministers on Monday, fueling speculation he’s readying himself to call an election if MPs were to block his Brexit plans.
Johnson emerged from 10 Downing Street on Monday evening to loud booing and cheering from a crowd that gathered ahead of the surprise speech.
“I believe we will get a deal at that crucial summit in October, a deal that parliament will certainly be able to scrutinize. And in the meantime, let’s let our negotiators get on without that sword of Damocles over their necks, and without an election,” Johnson said.
I don’t want an election, you don’t want an election. Let’s get on with the people’s agenda.
Earlier, ITV had reported that a vote on a general election is expected Wednesday.
Bookmakers have slashed the odds on a general election, with a wide-range of media outlets reporting that Johnson will lay down a motion on Tuesday, asking British lawmakers to vote for a snap poll.
James Cleverly, the Conservative Party chairman, refused three times to rule out Downing Street calling an election in the next three weeks, in an interview with ITV News.
Just what could they be discussing? I understand real possibility now Johnson might put a motion down to ask MPs to vote for an election this week BUT still no final decision – more on #PoliticsLive in a mo
It comes after a rebel alliance of opposition MPs signaled that they will attempt to stop a ‘no-deal’ Brexit by tabling a new piece of Brexit legislation – extending the deadline past October 31. If successful, it would risk scuppering Johnson’s promise to the UK nation – that Britain will leave the EU with or without a deal by Halloween.
Snap election likely?
This move by rebel politicians may force Johnson’s hand into calling an election, but it’s far from certain whether it will be given the green light by the majority of MPs. Johnson requires a two-thirds majority of lawmakers in the House of Commons to carry a vote for an election.
Earlier, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, taking questions after his speech on Brexit in Salford, suggested that his party would welcome a general election in all circumstances, but some of his backbench MPs remain unconvinced it would be the right tactic.
Labour MPs Darren Jones and Owen Smith warned that voting for a snap poll would risk seeing a ‘no-deal’ Brexit materialising. Both politicians signaled that they would not back such a move, and that they may not be alone in their thinking.
In the event that a general election is given the go-ahead, it could be held mid- to late-October, before the Brexit deadline day. The law states that there must be 25 working days between an election being formally called and polling day.
