PM Johnson says will push for election if lawmakers reject Brexit timetable

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS OCTOBER 22, 2019 / 9:34 AM / UPDATED 18 MINUTES AGO

PM Johnson says will push for election if lawmakers reject Brexit timetable

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday he would end an attempt to win parliamentary approval for his Brexit legislation and instead press for an election if lawmakers reject his timetable.

Opening a debate before lawmakers are expected to vote on his deal for the first time, Johnson warned parliament: “I will in no way allow months more of this.”

“If parliament refuses to allow Brexit to happen and instead, gets its way and decides to delay everything until January or possibly longer, in those circumstances ... with great regret I must say that the bill will have to be pulled and we will have to go forward ... to a general election.”

The prime minister would need to win a vote to trigger an early election because one is not scheduled until 2022.

Reporting by Elizabeth Piper, Guy Faulconbridge, William James

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-johnson-election/pm-johnson-says-will-push-for-election-if-lawmakers-reject-brexit-timetable-idUSKBN1X11LB

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. The amount of scrutiny he wants is just 3 days

Others aren't demanding months; but they think it should have longer than 3 days, and likely longer than the 9 days till Oct 31st.

Though his staff are hinting they'd accept an extension of a few days:

A No 10 source highlighted the key caveat that the bill would be pulled only if the EU grants a three-month extension – the length of delay requested under the Benn act. It raises the possibility that Johnson could accept a shorter extension if one were to be offered by the EU but this is unlikely given the legal letter that he sent asks for a three-month delay.

The No 10 source said: “If parliament votes again for delay by voting down the programme motion, and the EU offers delay until 31 January – then we will pull the bill, there will be no further business for parliament and we’ll move to an election before Christmas.”

No 10 would not elaborate on the length of extension that Johnson could accept, but a source suggested to the FT that 10 days could be acceptable.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/22/soft-brexit-tories-might-back-deal-if-wto-loophole-closed

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Johnson offers amendment on extension of transition after Dec 2020 if needed

Link to tweet

Boris Johnson has made a concession to soft Brexit Tories - amendment for "parliament to have its say on merits of an extension period" in 2020 if no free trade agreement. Will it be enough to persaude Gauke, Hammond, Stewart to vote for programme motion?

And as I type, the 2nd reading has passed.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. 322-308 - program motion is defeated

so Johnson should now be asking for an election. Corbyn says they want a reasonable timetable.

[Denzil_DC]

4. I believe the phrase is "Game on!" n/t