Boris Johnson's bid for a general election before Christmas has failed.

The Prime Minister’s election bid on Monday night, made under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act (FTPA), required a two-thirds Commons majority - 434 MPs - to agree to an election on December 12.

But despite 299 MPs backing the motion, against 70, Mr Johnson was 135 votes short of the votes he needed for this division to have force.

Following the result, the Prime Minister said he would table a one line bill for an election on December 12. This will require a simple majority.

He said he would continue to press for a December 12 polling day – even though the Liberal Democrats and the SNP suggested at the weekend they could support a slightly earlier date of December 9.

During the debate, Boris Johnson said the House of Commons is “incapable” of delivering Brexit as he urged MPs to back his plan for a pre-Christmas general election.


The Prime Minister’s rallying cry came as he confirmed the UK’s “formal agreement” to the EU extending Britain’s membership until January 31 – unless Parliament ratifies his Brexit deal sooner.

With his pledge to take Britain out of the EU by the end of this month in tatters, Mr Johnson called on MPs to back his plan for a poll on December 12 – which would provide time to pass the Withdrawal Agreement Bill before the campaign starts.

Mr Johnson said: “Across the country there is a widespread view that this Parliament has run its course.

“I simply do not believe that this House is capable of delivering on the priorities of the people, whether that means Brexit or anything else.”

The motion, laid under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act (FTPA), required a two-thirds Commons majority – 434 MPs – to agree to an election on December 12.

Jeremy Corbyn said Labour would not agree to anything until it is “clear and concrete exactly what is being proposed” – but that the party would “consider carefully” any legislation which “locks in” the date of an election.

Somerset County Gazette:

It comes amid Liberal Democrat and SNP moves for a poll on December 9.

European Council president Donald Tusk announced on Monday morning that the EU27 had agreed to accept the UK’s request for a Brexit “flextension” until January 31.

Mr Johnson wrote to Mr Tusk to confirm the UK’s formal agreement to the plan, but said he viewed the “unwanted prolongation” of the UK’s membership as “damaging to our democracy and to the relationship between us and our European friends”.

“While we will of course not seek to deliberately disrupt the EU’s business, I must underline that I continue to have a responsibility as Prime Minister to protect the UK’s national interests during this period, including in EU decision-making,” the PM said.

“I would have much preferred it if the UK Parliament could have proceeded rapidly to ratify the deal we reached between us.

“Unfortunately I very much fear that this Parliament will never do so as long as it has the option of further delay. That is why I am seeking a general election in December to ensure the election of a fresh Parliament which is capable of resolving the issue in accordance with our constitutional norms.”