The British government of Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson is willing to accommodate the opposition to gain support for calling early elections. Sources close to the cabinet say that the date of December 11 is also acceptable for the government as the election date.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson initially wanted to hold elections on December 12. The two smaller opposition parties, the SNP and LibDem, also want elections but proposed December 9. The British House of Commons will consider proposals to hold elections on Tuesday afternoon. Such a proposal from Parliament requires the support of a simple majority of MPs.
The opposition does not want December 12 because they fear that Johnson will try to push his Brexit deal through Parliament at the last minute in the remaining days. Therefore, a difference of a few days in the election date can have significant consequences.
The leader of the largest British opposition party, Labour, also now supports holding early elections. Jeremy Corbyn said that Johnson and the Conservatives have, for now, met his demand that there be no uncontrolled exit from the EU, but an agreed withdrawal arrangement.
Corbyn does not state literally in his statement whether he will support Johnson’s legislation in its current form, or if he will submit amendment proposals himself, or if he will support the SNP and LibDem proposal. However, he announces an "ambitious and radical campaign for real change." Clarity about this will only emerge at the end of the debate in the House of Commons, late in the evening.
According to the latest opinion polls, the Conservative Party is still well ahead, although it is now unclear whether the Brexit delay will be held against Johnson and whether the radical anti-EU Brexit party will siphon dissatisfied voters away from the Tories. The pro-EU parties SNP, LibDems, Remain, and Greens, who advocate to remain in the EU, are showing slight gains and maintain their central positions.
Especially for Labour, the prospects are unclear: not only the party leadership and officials but also the loyal Labour base are divided over whether or not to leave the EU. Corbyn may now have the opportunity to argue for his (previously presented but overshadowed) proposal for a partial British exit from the EU, whereby mainly the economy and trade would remain connected to the European continent. But there are also Labour politicians openly advocating for Corbyn’s replacement.
The House of Commons must be dissolved at least 25 working days before a national election. That must therefore already happen this Friday if elections are to be held on December 9. For elections on December 12, MPs only need to be sent home on November 6, but the LibDems and SNP do not want that.