Why Doesn’t Labour Want A General Election?

Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act (FTPA), an election should only take place every five years, unless two-thirds of MPs agree to an early election.  

Doesn’t Corbyn really, really want general election? 

Yep, ever since Theresa May’s disastrous 2017 campaign which resulted in the Conservatives losing their majority, the Labour leader has been repeating iterations of “call a general election now and let the people decide”. 

Some context…. 

Brexit – or more specifically, MPs trying to block a no-deal Brexit – is complicating the issue. 

It won’t have escaped your notice that it has been a pretty extraordinary week in the Commons. Rebel Tories teamed up with Labour, the SNP and others to take control of the parliamentary agenda on Wednesday in order to pass new legislation blocking a no-deal Brexit.

It says that Johnson has until October 19 to either get a Brexit deal through or get MPs to approve a no-deal Brexit.

As it stands, the Article 50 deadline is October 31 and parliament will be shut down for five weeks between September 9 and October 14. 

Why does Boris Johnson want a snap election? 

The PM says there are no circumstances in which he will request an extension to the Article 50 Halloween deadline. 

He calls the legislation ‘Jeremy Corbyn’s surrender bill’ and says the people should have a chance to vote on the issue in a general election. 

Why has Jeremy Corbyn said no? 

Strictly speaking Labour’s response is better summed up as “not yet”. 

The government’s election motion named October 15 as the date the poll would be held.