Britain's Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Andrea Leadsom leaves 10 Downing Street after attending a cabinet meeting in London, Britain, Oct. 29, 2019. British Prime Minister is expected to table a short bill later Tuesday which would pave the way for his efforts to hold a general election on Dec. 12. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)
LONDON, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched a fast-track bid through the House of Commons on Tuesday to pave the way for a snap general election on Dec. 12.
Just 24 hours after MPs rejected his earlier attempt to force an early election, Johnson's renewed bid has been given a better chance of success when voting takes place Tuesday evening after the main opposition Labour Party said they would back an election.
Politicians started the legal processes to pass a law enabling the election to take place, with a vote due around 20:00 GMT, and with the House of Lords also likely to give its approval later this week.
After Monday night's defeat, Johnson announced he would return to the Commons on Tuesday to start the new process for an election, knowing that support from opposition politicians was vital.
Unlike Monday's vote which needed two thirds of the House of Commons membership to agree, the new bill needs a simple majority to become law.
Political commentators described the main opposition Labour's support for a December election as a "discreet climbdown" after the party insisted it would only back a poll if a no-deal Brexit was ruled out.
Ahead of Tuesday's debate, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the party was determined to win the election in December with its biggest ever election campaign.
"We are going to go out there, with the biggest campaign this party has ever mounted, totally united, totally determined, and I'm absolutely looking forward to going to every part of the country with my wonderful shadow cabinet team and all the fantastic Labour activists to give message of hope where there isn't one with this government," said Corbyn.
Johnson opened the debate on the election date in the Commons, saying the three-month delay to Britain's leaving the European Union (EU) would cost the country a billion pounds each month.
He accused the opposition Labour Party of delaying Brexit, saying they had not come forward with a single idea.
Johnson told the Commons: "The whole country can see what is going on. They (Labour) don't want to deliver Brexit, they just want to procrastinate."
There could be more hurdles for Johnson and the governing Conservatives later Tuesday as the election bill continues its speedy journey through the parliamentary processes.
By 312 to 295, MPs voted at the start of the proceedings to allow the bill to be amended by opposition politicians, potentially throwing a wrecking clause into the process that could collapse the whole process.
Media commentators said the government could pull the general election bill altogether if opposition politicians later on Tuesday put forward an amendment giving the right to vote in an election to more than 3 million European citizens living in Britain.
If the election date is agreed, the plan is for parliament to be dissolved on Nov. 6 to start a nationwide general election campaign.
