Boris Johnson seeks December 12 election to break Brexit deadlock

Prime minister pledged ‘do or die’ departure from bloc by October 31, but British lawmakers rejected accelerated timetable for his withdrawal bill

EU is widely expected to grant a three-month Brexit extension when ambassadors meet in Brussels on Friday

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A sign points to a polling station in London in May 2018. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 1:09am, 25 Oct 2019Updated: 9:27pm, 25 Oct 2019

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will seek a general election on December 12, setting up a national vote on his Brexit strategy.

Johnson briefed his cabinet on Thursday afternoon and announced that a motion will be put to parliament for a vote on Monday. It will need a two-thirds majority for an election to be called.

“‘It is our duty to end this nightmare and provide the country with a solution as soon as we reasonably can,” Johnson said in a letter to Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn appealing for his lawmakers to support the move. “These repeated delays have been bad for the economy, bad for businesses, and bad for millions of people trying to plan their futures.”

The European Union is widely expected to grant a three-month extension when ambassadors meet in Brussels on Friday, putting back Britain’s exit until January 31. Johnson said in an interview with the BBC that he will give MPs more time to debate his Brexit deal if they agree to the December 12 date.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street, on his way to parliament on Thursday. Photo: PA via AP

“The way to get Brexit done is I think to be reasonable with parliament and say ‘If they genuinely want more time to study this excellent deal, they can have it but they have to agree to a general election on December 12,” Johnson said in a pooled television interview.

“It’s time frankly that the opposition summoned up the nerve to submit themselves to the judgment of our collective boss, which is the people of the UK.”