In short there are 4 reasons for the argument about the date:
1️⃣ Dissolution
2️⃣ Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB)
3️⃣ Students and terms, and turnout
4️⃣ Return of Parliament
I will deal with each in turn
1️⃣ Dissolution
2️⃣ Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB)
3️⃣ Students and terms, and turnout
4️⃣ Return of Parliament
I will deal with each in turn
1️⃣ Dissolution
The argument is practical. For an election 9 Dec, dissolution will have to happen Fri 1 Nov (this week):
Can all stages of the Bill pass Commons and Lords by then?
Dissolution Tue 5 Nov means earliest Wed 11 Dec election
The argument is practical. For an election 9 Dec, dissolution will have to happen Fri 1 Nov (this week):
Can all stages of the Bill pass Commons and Lords by then?
Dissolution Tue 5 Nov means earliest Wed 11 Dec election
2️⃣ Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB)
Johnson's *original* plan coupled ongoing ratification of WAB with early General Election. Johnson has abandoned this - this argument is no longer valid:
theguardian.com/politics/2019/…
And even if it were valid, it'd still need a Programme Motion
Johnson's *original* plan coupled ongoing ratification of WAB with early General Election. Johnson has abandoned this - this argument is no longer valid:
theguardian.com/politics/2019/…
And even if it were valid, it'd still need a Programme Motion
3️⃣ Students and terms, and turnout
@stephenkb has knocked this one on the head in this succinct article - 70% of students are still registered to vote at home, not where they study
newstatesman.com/politics/educa…
@stephenkb has knocked this one on the head in this succinct article - 70% of students are still registered to vote at home, not where they study
newstatesman.com/politics/educa…
4️⃣ Return of Parliament
If Election is 9 Dec, Commons could return for a whole week w/c 16 Dec. The week after that is Xmas. If GE 12 Dec it could not sit that week, meaning lack of clarity over 🎄 period, making scrutiny harder and limiting Commons time for WAB (if Tories win)
If Election is 9 Dec, Commons could return for a whole week w/c 16 Dec. The week after that is Xmas. If GE 12 Dec it could not sit that week, meaning lack of clarity over 🎄 period, making scrutiny harder and limiting Commons time for WAB (if Tories win)
Of all of these point 2️⃣ is the most important, and has already been solved. Point 3️⃣ on students is a misnomer.
Beyond that the matters are essentially procedural. While 9th Dec is marginally better than 12th Dec, there seems no killer argument why 12th is impossible
/ends
Beyond that the matters are essentially procedural. While 9th Dec is marginally better than 12th Dec, there seems no killer argument why 12th is impossible
/ends
I was missing a point 5️⃣ - @JulieOwenMoylan reminds me about the election of a new Speaker. @Brigid_Fowler explains the timetable headache here:
@JulieOwenMoylan @Brigid_Fowler Also I cannot keep a further thought from my head: that Johnson's argument against 9 Dec is just due to his machismo.
6️⃣ 9 Dec date was put forward by a woman and a Scot. Johnson does not do what people like that tell him. So 12 Dec is simply a matter of his own pride.
6️⃣ 9 Dec date was put forward by a woman and a Scot. Johnson does not do what people like that tell him. So 12 Dec is simply a matter of his own pride.
