British PM Boris Johnson to ask for early general election on Dec. 12
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that he planed to ask Parliament to approve an early national election to be held on Dec. 12. He also said that it was the only way to break Britain's Brexit impasse. Johnson added that he would give parliament more time to scrutinise his Brexit plan if it agrees to hold a snap general election on December 12.
- World
- Reuters
- Published Date: 07:24 | 24 October 2019
- Modified Date: 07:28 | 24 October 2019
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday that he was asking parliament to approve a national election to take place on Dec. 12 as part of his efforts to ensure Britain leaves the European Union.
Johnson said in a letter to opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn that if the European Union offers Britain a Brexit delay to Jan. 31 then he would seek to pass legislation to ratify his exit deal by Nov. 6 and would make available "all possible time" to do so."
This would mean Brexit could be completed before a Dec. 12 election.
"The way to get Brexit done is, I think, to be reasonable to parliament," Johnson said in a televised statement. "If they genuinely want more time to study this excellent deal, they can have it, but they have to agree to a general election on December 12. That's the way forward."
If parliament, which earlier this week rejected Johnson's accelerated timetable for the legislation, did not ratify the deal by Nov. 6, the issue would have to be resolved in the election, Johnson said.