Brexit extension – Did the EU grant one and what is the new deadline?
BORIS Johnson is still trying to get Brexit over the line but cowardly Jeremy Corbyn is still trying to frustrate our leaving the EU.
The Prime Minister challenged the Labour leader to face him in a festive election on December 12. Here's the latest on the current situation.
Will the EU grant a Brexit deal?
Donald Tusk announced on October 28 that Brexit will be extended again until January 31, 2020.
The green light was given for a "flextension", giving MPs the option to leave by November 30 if Mr Johnson's Brexit deal is approved by then.
Mr Johnson sent a letter to the EU requested a delay until January 31 after he was compelled to do so when the Benn Act was passed MPs on October 19.
MPs had finally backed Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal on October 22 — then wrecked it within minutes by rejecting his three-day timetable to push it through Parliament.
This prompted the PM to call for a December election to break the deadlock and finally get us out of the EU.
But Jeremy Corbyn has refused to accept his call for an election without a No Deal Brexit being taken off the table.
The latest extension effectively rules out Britain leaving with No Deal on Halloween.
In an interview, Corbyn had said: "Take no-deal off the table and we absolutely support a general election.
"I've been calling for an election ever since the last one because this country needs one to deal with all the social injustice issues - but No Deal must be taken off the table."
What happens now?
MPs are due to vote on today at some point after 5pm on Mr Johnson's call for a general election.
Mr Johnson needs two-thirds of MPs - 434 - to set the election date.
If it passes then the UK will be heading to the polls on December 12.
It is unclear how Jeremy Corbyn will vote after he previously said a No Deal Brexit would need to be ruled out in order to support an election, and now that Brexit has been extended it is unclear what his position is.
His party is expected to abstain it.
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The SNP have said it will block the government's election attempt.
They have joined forces with the Liberal Democrats to push for an election on December 9 now that a "flextension" was grandted until January 31.
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson and the SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford have put forward a tightly-drafted Bill that would grant an election on December 9.