Boris Johnson got his wish.
The United Kingdom is all but certain to have a general election on Dec. 12 after MPs backed a bill put forth by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday by a count of 438 to 20, just one day after his previous motion was resoundingly defeated.
The bill still needs to be approved by the House of Lords, but it could become law by the end of the week. Assuming that it's approved as expected, U.K. voters will head to the polls in less than two months.
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This all stems from Brexit (what else could it be at this point, really?). Johnson has so far been unable to get his withdrawal legislation through Parliament, but with the deadline now extended until Jan. 31 of next year, he and other U.K. leaders believe the only way to resolve the stalemate over the country's departure from the European Union will come through a snap election.
It sounds like it'll be a doozy, too. Johnson is seeking to regain a Conservative parliamentary majority, while Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn vowed the opposition will "launch the most ambitious and radical campaign" the U.K. has ever seen. "This election is a once-in-a-generation chance to transform our country and take on the vested interests holding people back," Corbyn said. Read more at Bloomberg and BBC.
