Jeremy Corbyn wants election as speculation mounts
Labour leader says it is time to ‘let the people decide’ on Brexit
Jeremy Corbyn says the UK “needs” a general election. Speaking in Salford, the Labour leader said a vote “would give the people a choice between two very different directions for the country”.
In words that The Guardian says “put his party on election footing,” Corbyn said: “When a government finds itself without a majority the solution is not to undermine democracy. The solution is to let the people decide and call a general election. It is the people, not an unelected prime minister, who should determine our country's future.”
In separate remarks to Sky News, he said: “Of course, we are the opposition party, we want a general election.”
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Earlier, Tony Blair had warned Corbyn that an election may be an “elephant trap”.
Blair, a regular critic of Corbyn, said: “Boris Johnson knows that if no-deal Brexit stands on its own as a proposition, it might well fail.
“But if he mixes up the Brexit question with the Corbyn question in a general election, he could succeed, despite a majority being against a no-deal Brexit, because some may fear a Corbyn premiership more.
“He should see an election before Brexit is decided, for the elephant trap it is.”
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Corbyn has shrugged off this warning but as the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg said: “It would be rather awkward for him not to, when he and senior Labour politicians have been calling for a general election for such a long time.”
Speculation is mounting across Westminster of an imminent announcement of a general election.
After cabinet ministers were summoned for an emergency cabinet meeting on yesterday afternoon and Boris Johnson made a statement outside Number 10 warning MPs that he will not ask the EU for another extension, The Guardian said the prime minister could seek a snap general election “as early as Wednesday”.
The BBC says “live discussions” are underway in Downing Street about asking Parliament to approve a “snap poll” if MPs wanting to block a no-deal Brexit defeat the government this week.
There are two ways an election could be called this week. The prime minister could call a general election if two-thirds of MPs vote for one. If Labour backed the move, this threshold could be met.
A general election could also be ordered if a motion of no confidence was passed and no alternative government was confirmed within 14 days.
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