Boris Johnson launches second general election bid within minutes of losing Commons vote

Boris Johnson launched a new bid to hold a general election on 12 December just minutes after MPs rejected his proposal to go to the country.

The Prime Minister announced that the UK Government will introduce a one-line bill on Tuesday stipulating that an election will take place on that date.

His statement came immediately after the Commons blocked his first bid to stage a poll on 12 December.

MPs voted 299-70 in favour of an election on that date, but it failed to get the two-thirds majority it needed under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act.

But that will not be necessary under the new bill, meaning it stands a far greater chance of passing.

It is not clear whether the SNP and Lib Dems, who brought forward their own bill calling for an election on 9 December, will support the Prime Minister's own draft legislation.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn has already ruled out backing a 12 December poll because the dark nights could stop old people from voting, while students could be "disenfranchised" because they will have gone home for Christmas.

Announcing his plan, Johnson said the Labour leader had "literally and figuratively run away from the judgement of the people".

He said: "We will not allow this paralysis to continue and one way or another we must proceed straight to an election.

“So, later on this evening, the Government will give notice for the presentation of a short bill for an election on the 12 December so we can finally get Brexit done.

"Millions of families and businesses cannot plan for the future, and I don't believe this paralysis and this stagnation should be allowed to continue.

“Now that no deal is off the table, we have a great new deal and it’s time for the voters to have a chance to pronounce on that deal and to replace this dysfunctional parliament with a new parliament that can get Brexit done so the country can move on."

Both Corbyn and SNP leader Ian Blackford refused to be drawn on whether they would support the PM's latest election attempt.

The Labour leader said: "We will obviously look and scrutinise that bill and we look forward to a clear, definitive decision that no deal is absolutely off the table and there is no danger of this PM not sticking to his word, because he has some form on these matters, and taking this country out of the EU without any deal whatsoever knowing the damage it will do to jobs and industries all across this country."

Blackford added: "It is clear there is a desire on the opposition benches to bring forward a deal that can deliver an election, but Mr Speaker, we do not trust this PM and we do not trust him for good reason.

"So if he is going to bring forward a bill then he must give an absolute cast iron assurance that up until the passage of that bill, and the rising of Parliament that there will be no attempt to bring forward the Withdrawal Agreement, and of course the SNP will do its job and scrutinise any bill that comes forward. 

"But it is absolutely demonstrably the case that we want an election.

“We want the people of Scotland to have the opportunity to have their say, and we will fight that election on the right of the Scottish people to determine their own future.

"And that we will not, under any circumstances, consent to be taken out of the European Union against our will.

“And that election campaign will make it clear that the right to determine our future will be in the hands of the Scottish people."