UK MPs to hold second vote on early election

The government is to ask MPs to agree to a snap election for a second time, in what could be one of Parliament’s last acts before being suspended.

No 10 has billed Monday’s vote as Labour’s “last chance” to secure an early general election.

But the government is expected to be defeated, with opposition parties wanting their law aimed at avoiding a no-deal Brexit to be implemented first.

Boris Johnson is also due to meet Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in Dublin.

The prime minister first called for a snap election after MPs – including rebel Tories – voted in favour of a bill requiring him to seek an extension to the Brexit deadline of 31 October if a deal is not reached before 19 October.

That bill is set to gain royal assent and become law on Monday, but has been criticised by ministers as “lousy” and weakening the government’s negotiating position with Brussels.

Downing Street said the vote calling for an election, which comes ahead of this week’s shutdown of Parliament, was Labour’s last chance to secure an early election and have the chance to win its own mandate from the public to delay Brexit.

The motion, which requires the support of two-thirds of MPs, was defeated last week and is expected to fail again.

Meanwhile, ministers have said they will “test to the limit” the new law aimed at averting no-deal.

France’s foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said his country would not be able to support another Brexit delay “in the current circumstances”.

But BBC Europe editor Katya Adler said it was unlikely France would block an extension if other EU countries wanted one.

Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru has said opposition party leaders should try and impeach Mr Johnson if he ignores the no-deal law.

source: BBC