MPs have approved Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plans to hold a UK general election on 12 December, with 438 votes to 20 - a majority of 418.
Legislation to hold the election has now cleared its final stages in the House of Commons, meaning it will go to the House of Lords for consideration where it is expected to be unopposed.
Advert
Earlier this evening, MPs rejected Labour's proposal for it to be pushed forward three days to 9 December.
They voted against Amendment 2 (which would change the date of the election from Thursday 12 December to Monday 9 December) by 315 votes to 295 - a majority of 20.
Last weekend, MPs had voted in favour of Johnson's withdrawal agreement, but they rejected passing all the required legislation to make it happen by 31 October, saying there simply wasn't enough time.
Advert
With the prospect of a 31 October withdrawal shelved, Johnson then went for his plan B, and announced he'd be going for a December general election.
Mind you, Boris Johnson can't just call an election whenever he wants; it has to be approved by at least two-thirds of Parliament.
However, as you only need half of Parliament's backing to pass a bill, he decided to take that route instead - meaning today MPs instead voted on a bill calling for a general election on 12 December.
Advert
When Jeremy Corbyn announced Labour would be supporting a general election in this evening's proceedings, he tweeted: "No Deal is now off the table so tonight Labour will back a general election.
"We're launching the most ambitious and radical campaign for real change our country has ever seen.
"This is a once in a generation chance to build a country for the many, not the few. It's time."
This evening, the Tory party also welcomed back 10 of the 21 rebel MPs.
A party spokesman said: "They have had the whip offered back to them, they have accepted the whip: they are Conservative Members of Parliament with the Tory whip."
Advert
And as for Brexit? Well, the UK is currently scheduled to leave the EU on 31 January 2020, but what happens in the lead-up to this will depend largely on the outcome of the general election in December.
Featured Image Credit: PA
