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WORLD NEWS Monday 28 october 2019
Chess move: UK parties suggest Dec. 9

vote in Brexit gambit

By DANICA KIRKA calls for an early national
LONDON (AP) — Two Brit- election on Dec. 9, three
ish opposition parties on days earlier than Johnson
Sunday proposed an even proposed and years earlier
earlier election date than than Britain's next sched-
Prime Minister Boris Johnson uled vote in 2022.
has offered, trying to force Because U.K. law requires
his government to delay a Parliament to be dissolved
final decision on its Europe- 25 working days before an
an Union divorce deal. election, the date of any
The chess move by the Lib- poll will dictate how much
eral Democrats and Scot- time is available to debate
tish National Party reflects Johnson's Brexit withdrawal
the volatile political land- deal. Union flags and an umbrella tied to railings in front of Parliament
scape now in Britain. The Liberal Democrats ex- in London, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019.
The ruling Conservatives pect a vote on their pro- Associated Press
desperately want a new posal Thursday, just days
election to bolster their before Parliament would the end of January. John- on British lawmakers to ap-
numbers in Parliament, but be suspended. That would son has sought a shorter prove his deal.
they face resistance from effectively leave no time Brexit extension to keep Economists say a no-deal
the main opposition La- for lawmakers to consider alive the possibility of a departure would be very
bour Party, which fears the Johnson's Brexit deal. no-deal departure, which damaging to both the Brit-
country will be unwittingly In contrast, Johnson an- in turn keeps the pressure ish and EU economies.q
tricked into crashing out of nounced last week he will
the European Union with- ask lawmakers on Monday
out a deal. to authorize a Dec. 12 elec-
The latest election pro- tion, then use the rest of
posal is an effort to force the legislative term to push
Johnson to delay debate through his Brexit deal. Un-
in Parliament on his Brexit der this plan, Parliament
withdrawal bill until after would be dissolved on Nov.
any election, depriving him 7, giving lawmakers about
of a possible victory on his seven days to debate the
trademark issue going into withdrawal agreement
the campaign. It makes that Johnson and EU lead-
Johnson's government ers agreed upon.
choose between holding The two sides have effec-
an election to improve its tively been debating Brit-
position in Parliament and ain's departure from the
its goal of securing Brexit 28-nation bloc — which
before that election takes has never seen a member
place. leave — since British vot-
"The challenge is absolutely ers in June 2016 chose to
on (the prime minister), be- leave the EU. But Johnson's
cause if he is serious about deal was cemented only
wanting an election and if 10 days ago — and Brit-
he's genuine about having ish lawmakers fear rushing
an election before Christ- through a document that
mas, then he can back has enormous economic
this bill," Liberal Democrat and political consequenc-
leader Jo Swinson told the es for the country.
BBC on Sunday. The problem for Johnson is
Looming over the politi- that his proposal requires
cal maneuvering is what a two-thirds vote of the
Johnson and Parliament House of Commons and it
are going to do about his is opposed by opposition
Brexit deal and how long parties who fear it could
an extension EU leaders lead to an economically
will give Britain to the cur- damaging no-deal Brexit.
rent Brexit deadline, which In contrast, the Liberal
is Thursday. The EU in princi- Democrat plan only needs
ple has backed extending a simple majority in the 650-
the Brexit deadline but of- seat House of Commons
ficials were meeting again due to laws governing
this week to figure out how elections.
long it should be. The Liberal Democrat plan
The Liberal Democrats and would be conditional upon
the SNP plan to introduce the EU agreeing to extend
legislation on Tuesday that the Brexit deadline until to