Boris Johnson will ask MPs for a fourth time today to back a general election before Christmas.
The prime minister proposes to rapidly change the law to allow an election to go ahead in December after his attempt to call a poll under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act was rejected for the third time last night.
Mr Johnson will bring a simple one line Bill to the Commons today asking MPs to back an election on December 12.
This would need only a simple majority in Parliament and is likely to be backed by the SNP and Liberal Democrats.
Mr Johnson, speaking in the Commons, said: “This House cannot any longer keep this country hostage. I don’t believe this paralysis should be allowed to continue.
“Now that no-deal is off the table, we have a great new deal, and it’s time for the voters to have a chance to pronounce on that deal and to replace this dysfunctional Parliament with a new Parliament that can get Brexit done so the country can move on.”
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, speaking to the Press and Journal, said: “The only realistic way we can now stop Boris Johnson delivering Brexit is to change the dynamic in this place and you can only do that, if you look at the options available, by having an election.
“We are facing a situation where if we do nothing there’s a massive risk that we leave the European Union on the basis of a bad deal from Boris Johnson or a no-deal basis.
“I want an election because it’s the right thing to do. It’s right that it’s put back to the people.”
An SNP source later clarified that the party would “very carefully scrutinise” Mr Johnson’s election Bill, adding: “We want an election, but we know that time and again this Tory government has shown it cannot be trusted.”
Jeremy Corbyn said Labour would also want to scrutinise whatever the Government put forward.
He said it had to be clear that the Government could not force through a no-deal Brexit against the wishes of Parliament.
“We look forward to a clear, definitive decision that no deal is absolutely off the table and there is no danger of this prime minister not sticking to his word, because he has some form on these matters,” he said.
However, with Labour MPs fiercely opposed to an election, shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald later indicated they were unlikely to change their position and back the Government.
“I think it’s very unwise to be having a general election in the run-up to Christmas,” he told Sky News.
While the Lib Dems did not rule out backing the Government, party leader Jo Swinson indicated that they would not accept the proposed December 12 election day.
The party joined with the SNP over the weekend in suggesting they would table a Bill for a December 9 election.
Ms Swinson said: “If Boris Johnson wants a general election, then he could have supported our Bill for a general election on December 9.
“Instead, he has chosen to stick to his original plan for December 12 which we have already rejected.”
The one-line Bill being proposed by the Government could be amended by MPs, potentially to allow 16 and 17-year olds to vote.
If that happened, the Government has indicated it could abandon the Bill.
