Thread by @michaelsavage

🚨 NEW: A new plan tonight to offer Boris Johnson the pre-Christmas election he craves. 🚨

The Lib Dems have drawn up a bill that would allow Johnson to secure a December election with a simple majority of MPs. Crucially, the SNP will back it.

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Their plan: a bill that amends the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, fixing an election for Monday December 9.

It also states that the plan is cancelled should the EU only offer a short Brexit extension, to safeguard against no deal.

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Their plan would be that the bill, if adopted by Johnson, could be taken through parliament on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

Parliament dissolves next Monday. Election December 9. Happy days.

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So, why would they propose this, rather than back PM’s offer on Monday of an election on December 12, just 3 days later?

Lib Dems say their plan would mean Johnson has no time to bring back his Brexit bill, so it would be a pre-Brexit election. (Oh, and more students about)

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The bill could of course be amended... but if SNP/Lib Dems don’t support amendments, there aren’t the numbers for eg. votes at 16.

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The bill would have enough support - but requires the government to take it up. Does Johnson want a pre-Brexit, pre-Xmas election? 🤔

But at very least, this shows Labour’s ambiguity over having an election is already causing other parties (Lib Dems, SNP) to agitate.

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Full story in the @ObserverUK tomorrow. Link later.

@ObserverUK Link here...

Lib Dems offer Johnson route to December election

theguardian.com/politics/2019/…