Labour MPs told to ABSTAIN in Johnson's election vote

Labour in chaos as MPs are whipped to ABSTAIN in Boris Johnson’s election vote – as Jeremy Corbyn says: ‘Take No Deal off the table and we absolutely support it’

• Labour MPs are understood to have been whipped Thursday night to abstain
• But Mr Corbyn contradicted this by saying he ‘absolutely supported’ an election 
• Mr Johnson will call for a December 12 general election on Monday
• European Union expected to grant extension Friday taking No Deal off table 

Labour were in chaos last night as MPs were whipped to abstain in Boris Johnson’s election vote while Jeremy Corbyn said he would back it if No Deal was ‘off the table.’

Mr Johnson laid down the gauntlet earlier on Thursday, saying he would ask MPs for a December 12 general election on Monday.

Labour MPs are understood to have tonight been whipped to abstain, but Mr Corbyn gave an interview saying: ‘Take no-deal off the table and we absolutely support a general election.’

The EU is today expected to grant the requested extension to January 31 and pressed on that point, Mr Corbyn replied: ‘That extension will obviously encompass whether there’s a No Deal or not.’ 

‘Take no-deal off the table and we absolutely support a general election,’ the Labour leader said in an interview on Thursday evening

But senior frontbenchers have appeared to contradict each other, with Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell appearing to sidestep a question last night, while Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey followed Mr Cobyn’s line

It comes as senior frontbenchers have appeared to contradict each other, with Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell appearing to sidestep a question on ITV on Wednesday night. 

When asked by Robert Peston whether he backed an election before Christmas, Mr McDonnell said: ‘Well if necessary. But to be honest what we’re trying, we’re trying to be the adults in the room.’ 

Meanwhile Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey has said the party’s position is to go for an election as soon as the Brexit extension is granted.  

The Prime Minister will table his third bid to get an early election to break the Brexit deadlock on Monday under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act (FTPA).

His success is dependent on how Labour votes because the legislation requires the support of a ‘super majority’ of two-thirds MPs to be approved.

Despite Labour MPs having been whipped to abstain on Monday’s vote, it was being made clear that advice could change. 

If Mr Corbyn does not back the election, it will be the third time the Opposition leader has been presented with the chance to go to the polls but declined.

The Prime Minister called on MPs to back a vote by offering them the sweetener of more time to debate his Brexit deal.

He predicted it was ‘likely’ an extension would be granted until the end of January, which he was compelled to request under the Benn Act forced through Parliament by MPs opposed to a no-deal.

But Mr Johnson, in a letter to the Labour leader, said Brussels may offer a shorter extension to Article 50, which he said he preferred in a dropping of his ‘do or die’ commitment to leave by the current October 31 deadline.

Boris Johnson has laid down the gauntlet to Mr Corbyn once again, saying he will call a vote for a December 12 general election on Monday

Some Labour MPs are opposed to a snap election at a time when the party is trailing the Tories in the polls.

Ben Bradshaw, a senior Labour backbencher, said he was not prepared to back an election.

‘I am certainly not falling into this trap. I think the overwhelming view of Labour MPs and Labour supporters in the country is we need a referendum first before an election,’ he said.

The SNP, Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru have roundly refused to give their backing to the PM’s plan.

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